


Season 1 Rewrite: The Power of Four

by SwiftyGirl7474



Series: Power of Four [2]
Category: Charmed (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, F/M, Fix-It, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Power of Four, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-24
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-03-22 15:32:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 46
Words: 385,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13767132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwiftyGirl7474/pseuds/SwiftyGirl7474
Summary: Season One except Paige has lived with her sisters since she was ten years old. Andy has a magical bond to the sisters but neither party knows of it until the last two chapters which are a replacement of Deja Vu All Over Again. Mostly minor changes to the episodes to fit in Paige although a few have major changes.





	1. Something Wicca This Way Comes (part 1)

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Charmed or any of the characters. In fact I have practically no creativity whatsoever so everything is based off the plot of the show… which I do not own either. This is purely for entertainment. So no copyright intended. Thank you.  
> Andy is going to be something supernatural. However, he isn't going to be some super invincible person since he is Prue's main weakness. It's just enough that he won't die in the everyday appearance of demons within the Halliwell Manor. I've pretty much got them planned out.  
> Prue's power growth that I mentioned I wanted has changed completely with the addition of Paige. Both of them having a telekinesis base to their powers means they have to splitsome of the powers. Teleportation is purely Paige because that's what I made her in the prophecy.  
> The important thing is that all four sisters will grow in their powers quicker than the original show.  
> Alright, so basically this story is Season 1 with the added exception of Paige. I'm a huge Prue/Andy fan and a Piper/Leo fan so you can rest assured that they will be together.  
> (Piper/Leo will have the Season 2 drama of course) Nothing too major will change in this Season 1 rewrite except the addition of Paige, but I will admit that I am never watching  
> Season 1 or Season 3 finale (I can't rewatch Prue and Andy dying again) so they'll probably be completely different, but they'll pick back up into the main story line in the next  
> episode. Prue and Andy will obviously not die, and I want to make Andy something supernatural as well in order to put him on a more equal level with Prue, but I also don't want  
> him being just a witch or a whitelighter. So if anyone has any ideas, I'm open for discussion. I want him to be able to protect the sisters, and get them out of danger. So a  
> devastating offensive attack with some kind of teleportation would be great.  
> As far as Paige goes… Paige was given up at birth (but for different reasons that will be made known in the story) and she lived with the Matthews until she was 10. They died in the car crash and she orbed out as seen in the show and her real family was tracked down. So she lived with Grams, Prue, Piper, and Phoebe, from then on.  
> I'm making the sisters a little younger than they were in the show. Prue is 24 (almost 25), Piper 23, Phoebe 21, and Paige 20.  
> I think that having all four sisters grown up together that Prue and Piper would be closer and more understanding to each other, even more so than seen on the show and eventually the same thing with Phoebe and Paige. Their powers are all the same as in the show except I'm adding a kind of telepathic connection (courtesy of Prue) between Prue and Piper only. Prue's powers will grow more since she doesn't die.

Serena Fredrick's Apartment

A young woman with short blonde hair walks through her apartment carrying a tray of food and water for her cat. As she walks into her kitchen, thunder can be heard accompanying the sound of rain outside the apartment.  
"Come on, baby," she calls softly as she sets the tray down. Almost immediately the cat meows and runs to the food. "Good girl," she finishes. She pets her cat and slowly stands up, careful not to step on her long dark blue dress. She walks off into an adjoining room holding a silver goblet in her hands. She kneels before the alter set up in the room and places the goblet in the middle amidst the candles and spices. With just a touch of her finger she lights the candles before her.

~PO4~

Outside her apartment a figure wearing a long black cloak can be seen climbing down a ladder. The heavy rain no doubt muffling the sounds of his approach.

~PO4~

Her concentration unbroken she begins to chant "Ancient one of the earth so deep, master of moon and sun. I shield you in my wiccan way, here in my circle round, asking you to protect this space, and offer your sun force down."  
The dark figure enters the house through the kitchen effectively scaring the cat out of the room. It approaches her quietly and just as she finished the chant she spins around in panic. She sighs in relief upon recognizing the intruder.  
"What are you doing here?" she asks, a slight smile appearing on her face. In response, the intruder pulls out a knife and plunges it into her stomach. She lets out a scream that is cut short as she is left to fall lifeless to the ground.

~PO4~

Halliwell Manor

God. I'm so late! Prue is going to be pissed. Piper Halliwell thought as she ran down the block towards the old pink Victorian manor that she shared with two of her sisters. She inwardly cursed at her situation; here she was having to run through a storm wearing a dress and high heels with only a light rain jacket, and a small umbrella. On top of that she had a sure-to-be very angry older sister waiting to jump down her throat the very moment she stepped foot in the door. I didn't even get the job yet… she thought as she ran up the steps. As she reached the front door she lowered and closed her umbrella while reaching for the door handle. She took a deep breath.

"Here we go," she whispered and opened the door. She squeezed in, quickly shutting the door behind, leaving the cold rain outside. "Prue? Paige?" Piper called as she hung up her umbrella and jacket.  
"In here working on the chandelier," came the response from her older sister.

With a slight nod to herself Piper sat her bags down next to the door and subconsciously pushed her damp shoulder-length brown hair away from her face. She listened for the voice of her youngest sister, but when no response came she decided Paige must still be at work. The grandfather clock against the wall read 7:30. She should be leaving South Bay Social Services soon. 

"Sorry I'm late," Piper apologized after finally gathering her courage enough to face Prue.  
"What else is new?" Prue muttered exasperated without looking at Piper. At hearing Piper's approach she turned around to face her. "I would have been here to meet the electrician myself, but you know I can't leave the museum 'til six. I haven't even had time to change." It was true. Prue was still wearing the short light blue work dress that she worn for work. Upon hearing that Piper wouldn't be home to meet the electrician she had hastened to leave work (much to her bosses' disappointment) to meet with him. Unfortunately, by the time she arrived the electrician had gone and they were left with the still broken chandelier, not a step closer to fixing the antique light. Piper looked Prue over a little more closely. Must have been a bad day. She's not usually this frustrated. She thought. She instantly felt guilty at adding any more trouble on Prue's shoulders.  
"I… I just didn't realize how long I was in China Town," she continued to apologize until another thought popped into her head. "Did Jeremy call?" Piper smiled slightly at the thought of her fiancé.  
Prue couldn't help but return her little sister's hopeful smile. "No, but he had some roses and a package delivered." She pointed toward the dining room and began leading the way to where she'd placed them.  
"For me?" Piper asked excitedly running after her older sister to the table in the dining room where they were laying.  
"No, for me," Prue joked, casting an amused smile towards Piper.

Prue and Piper had always gotten along real well with each other. It probably resulted from being the two eldest sisters of four and therefore the sole caretakers of them after their mother and eventually their grandmother died. Paige was dedicated and a hard worker which allowed her to get on good terms with Prue, unlike the third Halliwell sister, Phoebe. Prue had always been the leader and protector of the group. Piper was more soft-spoken and kept Prue in her place. Phoebe was the trouble maker and most arguments in the house were between her and the eldest sister. Paige was independent and go-lucky. Piper sent a playful glare at Prue and moved her roses farther down the table so she could open the package.

"Anyways, what were you doing in China town? I thought you had an interview in North Beach…" Prue asked curiously. Her pale blue-grey eyes looked around Piper at the package she was attempting to open.  
"I did, but I went to Young Lee market after my interview to get the ingredients for my audition recipe tomorrow," Piper explained glaring at the package that refused to open to her.  
Prue rolled her blue eyes and took the package from Piper, opening it with little effort. "So that Wolfgang-puck knockoff didn't hire you then?" she asked, handing the opened box back to Piper who was giving her a disconcerted look.  
"Nooo… but this may just get me the job," Piper admitted while picking up the bottle of wine that had been wrapped in the mysterious package. She grinned at Prue's confused expression.  
"Jeremy sent you port?" she finally asked, taking the bottle from Piper to read the label.  
"It's the ultimate ingredient for my recipe," Piper explained in a teasing voice. Prue just smiled and continued to read the label.  
"Sounds like a keeper," another voice joined the conversation from behind the two sisters.

Piper jumped in surprise nearly knocking a chair over. Prue turned around laughing softly at Piper to meet the speaker. 

"Hey, Paige. I didn't hear you come in." Prue spoke calmly, apparently unfazed by her sister's sudden appearance.  
"Apparently Piper didn't either," Paige laughed. She pushed her curled dark brown hair behind her shoulders while her dark brown eyes flickered towards Piper as she put on an innocent smile. "Sorry Pipe," she apologized.  
"Jeez, Paige! Don't do that!" Piper exclaimed, blushing slightly. With that she took her wine from Prue and placed it carefully on the counter in order to have an excuse not to look at either of her sisters.

Prue and Paige exchanged a knowing smile before Paige's eyes focused on something behind Prue on the end table. "Oh my God! Is that our old spirit board?" Paige demanded running towards it. Her hands outstretched to touch their childhood toy. Piper looked up quickly.  
"The old spirit board? The one mom gave us?" she asked, hardly daring to believe it. She'd thought they'd lost that years ago.  
"Yeah, I found it in the basement when I was looking for the circuit tester," Prue answered. She smiled at her sisters' enthusiasm as well as the fond memories that the spirit board helped resurface.

Piper took the spirit board from Paige and flipped it over where she remembered the inscription to be engraved. "To my four beautiful girls. May this give you the light to find the shadows. The power of four, forevermore. Love Mom," She read with a smile.

"Mm… It's just as cryptic as I remembered," Paige mused while looking over Piper's shoulder to read it for herself.  
"Well, we should send it to Phoebe. That girl is so in the dark maybe a bit of light will help," Prue suggested sarcastically as she turned and left the room.

Paige chuckled in agreement at her eldest sister's joke and began to follow Prue. "Ha, nice one." She complimented.  
Piper frowned slightly and looked back down at the spirit board. Did she dare say anything? "You two are always so hard on her," she called after them, her chocolate brown eyes flickering towards her departing sisters.

"Piper, the girl has no vision, no sense of the future," Prue insisted turning around to stare at Piper as if she couldn't believe Piper still stuck up for Phoebe after everything that had happened.  
"Yeah, you didn't see everything she went around doing her last two years of high school. You didn't have her running around stealing your boyfriends. She was a nightmare. And then she just left, right after the funeral," Paige added frowning at some unpleasant memory.  
"I really think Phoebe's coming around," Piper tried again but just ended up looking down at her hands unable to match Prue and Paige's gaze.  
"Well, as long as she doesn't come around here then I guess it's good news," Prue smiled and disappeared into an adjoining room. The creaking of the stairs shortly afterward followed Prue's ascendance up the stairs. Most probably to finally change out of her work dress.  
Paige stared at Piper for a moment. "Is something wrong?" she asked.  
"No, not at all," Piper lied, forcing a smile. She placed the spirit board back on the table and retreated into the kitchen to begin dinner.  
"Okay," Paige muttered to the empty room clearly not believing Piper's lie. She shrugged and turned toward the conservatory and the television.

As everyone left the room the pointer began to move along the spirit board, unnoticed by the recipients of the manor.

~PO4~

[Opening Credits]

~PO4~

Serena Fredrick's Apartment

Andrew Trudeau was driving his police car toward the home of the latest murder. Over an hour ago, his partner, Darryl Morris, had called and told him another woman had been stabbed. This was the fourth woman to be killed in a short time frame and the police were no closer to figuring out who was behind it. In his frustration, he had decided to follow a lead. He knew it had been far-fetched to theorize the women as witches, but he had decided it was worth a shot. Andy pulled into the parking lot of the apartments that the victim had lived in. He quickly shut off his car and stepped into the heavy rain. As he traversed around the police, paramedics, and bystanders he pulled out his police mark and flashed it to the officer prohibiting the curious bystanders from entering.

Morris was waiting for him at the door of the apartment. "Well, it's about time" Morris called, checking his watch as soon as he caught sight of his partner.  
"I got here as soon as I heard…" That was kind of a lie but he continued before Darryl could point that out. "… Another dead female, right? Mid to late twenties." He guessed and then started to push past Darryl into the house.  
"I've been paging you for over an hour, Trudeau. Where have you been?" Darryl demanded while pushing open the door and leading Andy through the maze of people. Morris knew Andy was a good cop and wouldn't have put his arrival off without a sound reason. However, sometimes it seemed his partner was a bit too independent in his investigations.  
"Checking out a lead," Andy replied, purposely leaving out the details. He pushed his damp brown hair away from his eyes and avoided looking at Darryl.  
"What lead?" Darryl pressed, unwilling to let Andy avoid the question that easily.  
Andy sighed realizing he was going to have to be more specific. He turned around to face Darryl. "One that didn't go anywhere," he answered, glancing at his watch in frustration. While they were here talking some creep was out there killing women. For all they knew he could be picking out his next victim at this moment.  
"You're avoiding my question," Morris pointed out moving farther into the apartment, his partner following.  
"Because you don't want to know that I went to an occult shop," Andy finally gave in.

Darryl turned to look back at Trudeau in surprise. He laughed in disbelief. "You hate me, don't you? You wanna see me suffer." He accused. Darryl turned away and proceeded to the woman's body.  
"I wanna solve these murders. Someone's after witches," Trudeau insisted, remembering the tattoo on all the victims as well as some of their personal affects.  
"Women," Darryl countered.  
"That woman up there. I bet she was killed with an athame," Andy guessed. So far all of the victims had been killed with one and it was a tool used by witches which backed his theory.  
"Wrong. Double-edged steel knife," Morris replied turning to face Andy with a look of triumph.  
Andy just grinned. "Right. That's an athame," He countered. He watched in satisfaction as Darryl's face fell. "It's a ceremonial tool. Witches use them to direct energy," he explained, looking around to see if anyone was listening to them.  
"That woman didn't direct jack. She was stabbed. Plain and simple," Darryl retorted, refusing to give in to his partner's logic.

Andy had determined that no one was paying them any attention but lowered his voice just in case. "Was she found near an alter?" He asked.  
Darryl hesitated. "Yes," Darryl replied shortly.  
"Were there carvings on that alter?" Andy pressed, smiling as he realized Darryl was trapped.  
Darryl rolled his eyes as he realized that what Andy was implying almost made sense. Almost being the key word. "Look. Just do me a favor. Don't ever follow a lead without checking with me first."  
"You want to go to occult shops?" Andy joked, grinning at his partner's reaction to being cornered.

Darryl laughed at Andy's joke. "Get to work, okay," he ordered, turning around and walking into the room where the victim's body was. Andy began to follow still smiling to himself at his small victory until a voice called out behind him. "Inspector Trudeau?" Andy turned around to face a young reporter. "Jeremy Burns. San Francisco Chronicles," the reporter introduced himself and then continued. "Care to comment?"

"A woman was stabbed. Plain and simple," Andy replied cryptically, echoing his partner's earlier words. He turned back to follow Morris and finally get to work.  
"Well, that's the fourth one in three weeks," Jeremy pointed out, obviously hoping to pull more information from the inspector.

Andy spun around as if to say something but caught himself unwilling to be quoted incorrectly on something this serious. Instead, he just turned his back on the reporter and followed Morris to the body of the victim.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Back at the Halliwell Manor, Prue kept walking back and forth from the chandelier and the basement, trying to get the old light to finally work. Piper and Paige were sitting on the couch watching TV in their conservatory. Outside the horn of a car cut through the rain and the silence within the Manor, causing Piper to jump to her feet. Oh please don't be Phoebe. Not Phoebe. Not Phoebe. I haven't told Prue or Paige yet. She ran to the window and anxiously looked outside only to sigh in relief. There was no cab waiting in the driveway.

"It was just a car, Piper. No need to panic," Paige called, watching Piper suspiciously.

Piper didn't respond and walked through the kitchen and into the basement where Prue was fiddling with the circuit tester. It was time to break the news. Prue first.

"I don't get it. I have checked everything, there is no reason why the chandelier should not be working," Prue ranted, slamming the door to the circuit box shut. She was now dressed in much more comfortable clothing: gray sweatpants and a dark gray tank top. Prue glanced over toward Piper and narrowed her eyes slightly upon recognizing that Piper had something she wanted to share. From her hesitance Prue guessed it was something she wasn't going to like.

"You know how we've been talking about what to do with the spare room? I think you and Paigey are right. We do need a roommate," Piper spoke quickly, trying to act casual, though she failed miserably.  
"Wow. What brought on this change of heart?" Paige asked coming up behind Piper her eyes questioning. When the subject had come to bringing in a roommate Piper had always been as immovable as Prue.  
"I…. just think it's actually a good idea. I mean for funds since I haven't got that job yet… and Prue needs help with fixing up the house…. And… stuff," Piper stammered with a hesitant look at her little sister.

Prue was silent for a moment wondering whether she was going to protest needing any help. In the end she let it go and just suggested "We could rent out the room at a reduced rate in exchange for help around the house." She walked around her sisters and entered the kitchen to put a few utensils back into the drawer.  
Paige followed first with Piper close behind. Piper took a deep breath. Here we go.  
"Phoebe's good with a wrench,"  
"Well, Phoebe is on the other side of the country," Paige shot down.  
Prue froze upon opening the drawer. She couldn't mean…. No Piper is just hopeful….  
"Not anymore" Piper's voice interrupted Prue's train of thought. In response, Prue slammed the drawer shut. "What?" She snapped turning around to face Piper in disbelief.  
Paige stiffened and when Piper didn't immediately reply pushed for more information. "What do you mean, Pipe?"  
Reluctantly Piper replied "Phoebe left New York… She's moving back in with us."  
"Piper!" Paige yelled at the same time Prue responded "You have got to be kidding." Both the eldest and the youngest Halliwell sister turned their backs on Piper and walked into the conservatory fuming.  
"Well, I could hardly say no. It's her house too. It was willed to all of us," Piper countered, suddenly defensive. She trailed after them looking frustrated.

Before Piper could even finish Paige spun around and responded, her voice a higher pitch from anger "Yeah, well, she left and hasn't called since so I think that nullifies the will."  
"Well, you two haven't spoken to her."  
"No we haven't… Look perhaps you've forgotten why we're still mad at her," Prue snapped also turning to face Piper. She couldn't believe Piper of all the people would do this to her.  
Piper instantly felt guilty once her closest sister yelled at her but she still felt she was in the right. "Of course I haven't! But Phoebe's lost her job and she's in debt. She had nowhere else to go!" She insisted, almost pleading with Prue to understand.  
"And this is news?" Prue screamed back before taking a deep steadying breath.

Paige sighed and attempted to cut Piper a little slack. "How long have you been making plans?" Paige interrogated. Her voice was carefully emotionless.  
"Just a couple of days," Piper lied casually. Paige narrowed her eyes in disbelief. "Okay maybe a week," Piper tried again. This time Prue glanced up at her, positive Piper was lying.  
"Or two," she finally answered truthfully looking down at the ground to avoid her sisters' gaze.  
"Alright. Cool." Paige spoke sarcastically turning away from Piper, pushing her slightly curled brown hair away from her face roughly.  
"When does she arrive?" Prue asked, her gaze on Piper making sure she didn't lie this time.

Before Piper was able to answer the front door behind the three sisters opened and in rushed Phoebe, her brown hair cut short and damp from the rain. "Surprise! I found the hide-a-key," her voice rang through the tense atmosphere.  
Piper glanced between Prue and Paige to see her fourth sister. "Phoebe! Welcome home," She called running towards her, her arms outstretched for a hug.

"Hey, Piper!" Phoebe greeted walking into her older sister's embrace.

During the short reunion Prue and Paige stayed back together watching Phoebe and Piper closely. Both sisters looked shockingly similar with Prue's look of anger and Paige's discontent. Paige leaned against the back of a chair her arms crossed while Prue very reluctantly turned to face Phoebe running a hand through her raven-colored hair.

"It's so good to see you," Piper welcomed and then looked back to Prue and Paige obviously expecting a greeting for Phoebe from them. With no response forthcoming she prompted "Isn't it Prue? Paige?"  
"We're speechless," Prue replied offering a fake smile and obviously still annoyed.  
"Speechless is a good word," Paige agreed opening the candy drawer and putting a lollipop in her mouth so as to have an excuse not to say anything.  
Outside the cab car's horn beeped ending the tense silence. "Oops… I forgot the cab," Phoebe muttered turning around to do something about it.  
Piper grabbed her arm to stop her. "I'll get it," she offered grabbing Prue's purse from off the end table and heading out the door.  
"Piper! That's my purse," Prue called after her. Piper turned around and gave Prue a pleading look. With a sigh Prue just waved her arm in an annoyed fashion giving her permission to use her purse. The door shut as Piper ran outside leaving another tense silence in its wake.  
"Thanks… I'll pay you back," Phoebe offered.

Paige snorted in disbelief but otherwise offered no conversation. Prue gave an unconvinced nod and looked down at her one suitcase. "Is that all that you brought?"  
Phoebe looked down at it as well. "That's all that I own. That and a bike," she answered. Again silence. "Look, I know that you don't want me here…" Phoebe began but was interrupted by Prue.  
"We're not selling Grams' house." Prue stepped closer as she spoke to accentuate her point.

An annoyed looked flashed across Phoebe's face. "Is that why you think I came back?"

"Well, it does sound like something you would do," Paige offered with a roll of her eyes.

Before Phoebe could respond to the newest attack Prue continued. "The only reason we gave up our apartment and moved back here is because this house has been in our family for generations."

"Look no history lesson needed. I grew up here too so can we just talk about what's really bothering you two?" Phoebe asked her annoyance quickly turning into anger as it always did around Prue.  
"No, I'm still furious with you," Prue answered her arms crossed. Phoebe cast a glance toward Paige expecting some kind of reply.

Paige was silent for a moment but eventually responded with "Ditto" pointing towards Prue.

"So you'd rather have a tense reunion filled with boring chitchat and unimportant small talk?" Phoebe pressed sarcastically with a roll of her chocolate brown eyes.  
"No, but otherwise we won't have anything to talk about," Prue retorted carefully keeping her voice from rising as her anger grew.

Phoebe smiled and nodded slightly to herself having expected this. Fine. "I never touched Roger," she said taking the offensive.

"Whoa." Prue gasped, stiffening at the mention of her ex's name. She hadn't expected Phoebe to have the nerve to bring him up already.  
"Oh so I guess you never touched James or Michael either?" Paige jumped in sarcastically as it was a known fact that Phoebe had.

Phoebe glared at Paige and turned back to Prue. "I know you think otherwise because that's what that Armani-wearing, Chardonnay-slugging, trust-funder told you but…." she began, but was interrupted as Piper came back into the house.

"Hey! I have a great idea! Why don't I make a fabulous reunion dinner," Piper interrupted, looking excitedly from one sister to the next.

Paige took her lollipop out of her mouth. "We've already had dinner," she reminded Piper and then stuck the pop back in her mouth.

"Well, how about dessert? I can make all our favorites," Piper suggested again, her smile fading slightly.  
"Still not hungry," Paige replied turning around heading towards the conservatory.  
"Me either," Phoebe agreed taking up her suitcase and heading towards the stairs that was in the opposite direction as Paige.  
"Sorry, Sis," Prue offered to her disappointed sister. "But I could use some coffee," she said to herself and walked into the kitchen.

Piper watched her three sisters disappear their separate ways. "Alright… we'll try the group hug later," She allowed to herself and after a deep sigh followed Prue into the kitchen.

~PO4~

Phoebe entered her old room and threw her suitcase in the floor in frustration. She immediately went to the old TV and turned it on for no other reason than to have something to do. Ugh… Soap Opera. Nope… Sports. No. News. It'll do. She pulled off her light jacket and set it down on the dresser before walking up to her mirror and messing with her makeup. Over the noise of the television she heard a knock on her door.

"It's me," Piper's voice carried through the wooden door.

Phoebe was silent for a moment wondering whether she should just tell Piper to go away, but decided she could use the company. "Come in," she called over the TV. Piper opened the door and entered carrying a tray of food. Phoebe turned away from the mirror and smiled in greeting. Her smile widened as she saw the food. "Thank god. I'm starving," she said lying down on her bed as Piper set the food down on the dresser within reach of Phoebe.

"I figured," Piper laughed and glanced over at the TV. "Hey! That's my boyfriend, Jeremy," she exclaimed with a smile at the thought of him. Suddenly she frowned seeing the ambulances and police in the background. "What happened?" Piper asked Phoebe.

"Oh, some woman got whacked," Phoebe answered nonchalantly grabbing at some food from the tray.  
"Whacked?" Piper asked giving Phoebe a disapproving look at her new diction. "Phoebe, you've been in New York way too long," she told her sitting down on the edge of Phoebe's bed.

Phoebe suddenly frowned and looked away from Piper. "Yeah… I should have stayed," she lamented and then narrowed her eyes slightly. "Why didn't you tell them I was coming back?"  
"And risk Prue changing the locks? I don't think so," Piper countered with a roll of her eyes. "Besides you should have been the one to tell them, not me." Piper grabbed the remote and switched off the TV.  
"Good point. It's just so hard for me to talk to Prue. She's always been more like a mother," Phoebe confessed playing with the food on the tray.  
"That's not her fault. I mean she practically had to sacrifice…"  
"… her own childhood…" Phoebe joined in, obviously having heard this before.  
Piper frowned giving Phoebe a disapproving look before finishing "…to help raise us," she insisted suddenly defensive of her eldest sister. Phoebe seemed to realize she might have gone too far with Piper and went silent. "Hey, you, Paige, and I were lucky. All we had to do was be there," Piper continued trying to make her younger sister at least a little grateful for Prue's sacrifice. Phoebe never seemed to realize how much Prue had to sacrifice for them.

"Yeah, well I don't need a mom anymore. I need a sister," Phoebe countered rolling her eyes. "So how is Paigey?" She finally asked breaking the silence between them.  
"She's great. She finished her two-year degree early by taking extra classes and she's even gotten a new job as a social worker," Piper explained smiling slightly at the accomplishments of their little sister. Prue's job at the museum and Piper's old job at the bank had been enough to cover essentials, but if an emergency had arisen they would have been in a fix. Paige had taken extra classes so she could get a real job sooner and therefore help with funds. Piper was grateful because with Paige's job she was now able to pursue her dream of becoming a chef.

"She's finished college already? She's just twenty isn't she?" Phoebe asked surprised and seeming disgruntled. Her little sister was already way ahead of her. Finished with college and had a real job.

Before Piper could reply there was another knock on the open door. Both sisters looked around to see Prue holding a couple blankets with Paige just behind her. "Hey. This was always the coldest room in the house," Prue stated placing the blankets on a chair beside the door.

"Thanks," Phoebe offered. Prue gave a slight nod and followed Paige down the hall.

~PO4~

Murdered Woman's Apartment

In the apartment of the murdered woman Andy and Darryl were inspecting the body of the victim. Behind them many other inspectors were looking for evidence that may lead to a suspect. Andy's eyes focused on the tattoo that the victim had. A circle with four interlocking arcs inside. Some Wiccan symbol he presumed. "It's the same tattoo that was on the other three victims," he observed turning to look at Darryl as he approached.  
"So the murderer is killing occults," Darryl stated looking down at the woman.

Andy frowned and decided to bring up his theory again now that there was a bit more evidence backing it. "No, the murderer is on a witch hunt," He insisted covering the body back up with the white sheet.

"Oh, yeah, and he's five hundred years old and lives in Salem," Darryl agreed sarcastically with a roll of his eyes. "Look around, Trudeau. Pentagrams, alters, offerings, all tools of a freak fest," he continued turning around and pointing towards the alter in the room.  
"They call them Sabbaths. Which is hardly a freak fest. She was a solitary practitioner. She practiced her craft alone," Andy argued his point.  
"Right," Darryl replied. His disbelief was evident in his voice but he decided it was best to let it go.

However, Andy wasn't willing to take the offered out. "Let me ask you something, Morris. Do you believe in U.F.O's?" he asked  
"Hell, no," was Darryl's short reply.  
"Neither do I," Andy agreed with an expected nod. "But do you believe there are people out there that do believe in U.F.O.s?" he asked, eagerly awaiting Darryl's response.  
"Yes, but I think they're crazy," he answered, beginning to recognize where his partner was leading this.  
"Well, then why can't you believe there are people who believe they are witches?" A short silence followed Andy's question.  
"Look, all I know is that if you don't stop talking about witches, I'm going to start questioning you," Darryl warned slowly. Andy looked away as the murdered woman's cat jumped onto the table beside them with a loud meow. Andy walked over to her and began to pet the cat. Darryl watched his partner walk over to the cat and thought it best to give him a warning. That cat had already clawed most of the officers in the building before Trudeau had arrived. "I'd stay away from that cat, Trudeau. It's been clawing the crap out of everybody," he cautioned and then began to walk away. "See you at the car," he called over his shoulder. As he reached the door he turned to look back at his partner. Andy had  
picked the cat up and was looking at her collar. It had the Wiccan symbol that was tattooed on the victims on it. The circle with four interlocking arcs inside.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper and Phoebe were sitting at a table in the solarium playing with the spirit board while Paige sat at a distance reading a book. Every now and then Paige would look up interested in the conversation but never join in. Prue could be heard shuffling things around in the next room.

"I'm glad to hear you and Jeremy are still together. Where did you meet him anyway?" Phoebe asked Piper as she pushed the pointer across the spirit board.  
"We met at the hospital cafeteria; the day Grams was admitted into the hospital. He was covering a story and I was balling over a bagel. So, he handed me a napkin," Piper explained, smiling at the memory, though a little embarrassed.  
"How romantic," Phoebe teased. She let out a soft laugh at her sister's expense.  
"Don't laugh at me! Prue and Paige have already done that quite enough," Piper protested but couldn't help but smile. She suddenly recognized an opportunity to drag Paige into the conversation. She narrowed her eyes and cast Paige a playful look that Paige missed because her eyes were on her book. "Of course, Paige has always been way worse than Prue about it," she added looking back at Phoebe. Three. Two. One…. Piper thought and was satisfied when Paige finally spoke up.

"Hey! I have not! I only laughed at you that one time…. Granted it was for close to an hour, but that's not really the point…" Paige argued and then fell silent upon seeing Piper laughing and Phoebe grinning at her. She suddenly recognized the trap that Piper had pulled her into and she sat down, pouting. "That is so unfair, Piper."

"Sorry," Piper apologized while flashing her an innocent smile. She didn't appear sorry in the slightest. "Anyways, it really was. The napkin had his phone number on it," she continued. Phoebe laughed and they continued playing with the spirit board. 

"Stop pushing the pointer," Piper ordered Phoebe which effectively broke the comfortable silence.  
"I'm not touching it," Phoebe protested.  
"You always used to push the pointer," Piper countered, getting to her feet. "More popcorn?" She suggested, looking from Phoebe to Paige. Both sisters nodded and Piper walked toward the kitchen.  
"Hey, I forgot your question," Phoebe called after her once she had stared blankly at the spirit board for a couple seconds.  
"I asked if Prue would have sex with anyone other than herself this year," Piper's voice carried in from the adjoining kitchen.  
"Piper! I heard that!" Prue yelled. Paige and Phoebe both sat up and strained to see how mad Prue looked as she passed through the hall and into the kitchen where Piper was.  
"That's disgusting," Phoebe replied mostly to herself. She leaned forward slightly, eagerly awaiting the confrontation. However, only the sound of the microwave and the popping popcorn could be heard. "I don't hear anything being thrown," Phoebe muttered in disappointment.  
"You won't. Only because it's Piper that said it though. Only she can get away with saying that and not get killed by Prue," Paige pointed out with a shrug and leaned back into her chair.

Phoebe thought about that for a moment before looking back down at the spirit board and placing her fingers lightly on the pointer. "Please say yes," she breathed. Suddenly the pointer began to move stopping on the letter A. Phoebe's eyes widened in surprise. "Piper…" she whispered speechless. Almost immediately it swerved and stopped on the letter T.

"Piper! Get in here!" Phoebe yelled.

Paige looked up in surprise "What is it?" she asked but before Phoebe could say anything Piper came walking in.

"What?" Piper wondered, followed by Prue.  
"What did you guys do now?" Prue accused looking from Paige to Phoebe.  
"Me? I didn't do anything. I haven't moved," Paige protested but before an argument could erupt between the eldest and the youngest, Phoebe spoke up.  
"The pointer on the spirit board. It moved on its own," Phoebe explained while looking down at it.

Prue, Piper, and Paige stared at her in disbelief. Prue and Paige looked annoyed while Piper looked as if she thought Phoebe was joking. Phoebe glanced up at them and recognized their looks.

"I'm serious. It spelled 'A' 'T'," Phoebe insisted.  
"Well, did you push it?" Piper asked with a faint smile on her face.  
"No," Phoebe snapped sending a glare at her older sisters.  
"You used to always push the pointer," Prue pointed out, rolling her eyes.  
"My fingers were barely touching it," Phoebe exclaimed. She replaced her fingers gingerly on the spirit board. "Look." She tried to will the pointer to move. Nothing happened.

Prue glanced at Paige still on the couch as if looking for an answer. Paige noticed and just shrugged. "I didn't see anything," she replied. With that Prue just nodded and turned to leave the room followed by Piper. Just as they turned, the pointer moved from 'T' to the middle of the board and back to 'T'

"Ah! It did it again! It moved," Phoebe announced. She looked behind to see if Paige had seen. Paige was staring at the board in surprise. She was speechless.

Prue and Piper had turned around, Prue walking past Piper to get a better look at the spirit board. She smiled knowingly. "It's still on the letter 'T'," she pointed out.

"I swear it moved," Phoebe tried to explain

Without waiting for an explanation, Prue left the room again. Piper turned to watch Prue leave and looked back toward Phoebe just as the pointer moved to the letter 'I.'

"There,"Phobe called, jumping away from the table and the pointer. "You saw that right?" She asked glancing from a wide-eyed Piper to a speechless Paige.  
"I think so, yeah," Piper replied while Paige just nodded, her brown eyes not leaving the spirit board.  
"I told you I wasn't touching it," Phoebe responded as the pointer once again moved from the letter 'I' to stop on the letter 'C.'

Piper, clearly seeing it this, time spun around. "Prue? Could you come here for a sec," she called, looking away behind her. Phoebe was grabbing a pen and began writing on a letter left on the table. Paige jumped up and ran towards Piper.

"Now what?" Prue asked, clearly exasperated giving all three of her sisters disapproving looks.  
"I think it's trying to tell us something," Phoebe explained and held up the envelope where she had written 'ATTIC' down. All of a sudden a clap of thunder was heard loud enough to shake the house and the lights in the house flickered and went out. In response, Paige yelped in surprise and grabbed hold of Piper's arm. Piper jumped at the unexpected hold on her arm and grabbed Prue's arm nearly causing Prue to fall over in their combined weight.

A few moments later Piper pulled out of Paige's grasp and started heading towards the door. Prue immediately understanding what Piper was doing followed her. Piper mumbling  
something about Jeremy was good hint too. 

"Don't you think you're overreacting? We're perfectly safe here," Prue insisted after Piper in an attempt to try to talk some sense into her. The dark house lit up from the lightning outside casting shadows along the walls of the old house.  
"Don't say that! In horror movies the person that says that is always the next to die," Piper snapped over her shoulder. She didn't slow down in the slightest.

Paige came running from another room cutting Piper off from the door. Now that the initial shock was over she seemed nearly as composed as Prue.

"Look, Piper. There are four of us. I think we can take care of anything that's going on," Paige tried, continuing to block Piper as she tried to move around her little sister.  
"Besides its pouring rain. There's a psycho on the loose. Jeremy's not even home!" Prue added grabbing Piper's arm and spinning her around to face her.

Piper glared at her two sisters and stubbornly grabbed her rain jacket and put it on. "Well, I'll- I'll- I'll wait in the cab until he gets home from work," Piper argued.

"That'll be cheap," Prue retorted, rolling her icey blue-grey eyes.  
"Yeah… nothing says romance better than a drenched, terrified woman wearing a nightgown waiting for you right as you get home from work," Paige agreed in a teasing voice.  
"Prue! I saw that pointer move! And Paige did too so don't say I'm crazy," Piper snapped, ignoring Paige's comment. She then took a deep breath to calm herself.  
"No… Piper what you saw was Phoebe's fingers pushing the pointer. There's nothing in the attic. She's playing a joke on us," Prue explained trying to calm her little sister down enough to talk some sense into her.  
"Paige?" Piper rounded on her youngest sister looking for support.  
In response, Paige just shrugged. "It probably was just one of Phoebe's tricks…" Paige sided with Prue now beginning to doubt what she had actually seen and it did seem like something Phoebe would do.

"But we don't know that! I mean we've lived in this house for months and we've never been able to get that attic door open," Piper reminded them. She walked around Prue, her hand outstretched for the phone. She dialed a number and then lifted it to her ear expecting to hear a ring. Almost immediately she slammed it back down on the receiver. "Now the phone doesn't work!" she exclaimed beginning to panic again.

"Yeah, the powers out… Look just come with me to the basement," Prue suggested, taking Piper's hands and forcing her younger sister to look up at her.  
"What?" Piper asked in a voice that radiated her confusion.  
"I need you to hold the flashlight while I check out the main circuit box," Prue explained giving Piper a pleading look.

Piper glanced over at Paige. "Paige will go with you basement right Paigey…" she suggested but before Paige could answer Phoebe came strolling into the hall holding a flashlight.

"Or Phoebe could go with you to the basement. She's already got a flashlight and everything."  
"Nope, I'm going to the attic," Phoebe replied, already heading up the stairs.  
"No you're not. We already agreed," Prue argued. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance at Phoebe's continued disobedience.  
"Yeah, the handyman will be here tomorrow morning," Paige added glancing over at Phoebe and crossing her arms in front of her.  
"I'm not waiting for some handyman to check out our attic and I'm certainly not waiting until tomorrow. I'm going now," Phoebe insisted as she began to climb the stairs.

Prue threw her hands up in frustration. "Come on, Paige," she called, opening a drawer in the hall and pulling out a flashlight. She tossed the flashlight to Paige who easily caught it and grabbed Piper by the hand. With that she walked towards the basement dragging a reluctant Piper along and followed by Paige with the light.

~PO4~

Phoebe continued to climb the stairs warily in the darkness, keeping one hand against the wall for support and one hand tightly holding onto the flashlight. She reached the attic door and jiggled the door knob half-heartedly. She hadn't expected it to open that easily. Instead she turned the knob as far as it would go and pushed trying to force it open. After a few moments of struggling with the door she stepped back looking frustrated. With a deep sigh she turned around beginning to head back downstairs. Just as she turned her back on it, the door swung open. The creaking of the hinges alerted Phoebe and she spun around, her heart pounding. Slowly she walked inside with the beam of the flashlight before her. It landed on a chest against the wall and she moved toward it. As she approached she set her flashlight down on a nearby table and slowly clenched and unclenched her hand. She hadn't realized how hard she had been gripping it, but it was just a fleeting thought as her curiosity began to overwhelm her. She kneeled down beside the chest and opened it enough to pull out the first thing she saw. A large black leather-bound book with a large circle with four interlocking arcs. Phoebe sat down in a nearby chair and blew the dust off the old book before opening it and beginning to read.

"The Book of Shadows," she read and then paused looking around unsure. She thought about putting it back to look at other objects but she felt a pull to read it. It felt right so she turned the page.

"Hear now the words of the witches,  
The secrets we hid in the night,  
The oldest of Gods are invoked,  
The great work of magic is sought.  
In this night and in this hour,  
I call upon the ancient power  
Bring your powers to we sisters four.  
We want the power.  
Give us the power."

Phoebe read and then trailed off speechless as the implications set in.

~PO4~

Unnoticed by all inhabitants of the Manor the old chandelier in the foyer lit up sending blue and white lights through the house. The picture on the mantle taken several years previous began to change. Once the picture was of the four girls with Prue and Phoebe on the very edges obviously wanting to be as far apart as possible. Piper was almost in the background as if she hadn't wanted her picture taken. Paige was the only one who looked happy and was right in the middle with a genuine smile. Now, Piper had moved up next to Paige. Prue moved in next to Piper and Phoebe moved in on the other side of Paige. It left all four sisters closer than they had been before.

~PO4~

Phoebe remained silent, flipping through the book eagerly. Behind her the other three sisters entered all of them looking stunned to find the attic door open and Phoebe reading a large book.

"What are you doing?" Prue wondered looking around at the messy attic and then focusing on the book in Phoebe's hand.

Phoebe jumped in surprise and slammed the book shut. "Uh, reading… an incantation. It was in this Book of Shadows. I found it in that trunk," Phoebe explained pointing to the chest that was still open

"Let me see that," Prue ordered, taking the large book from Phoebe and flipping through it.  
"How'd you get in here?" Piper demanded looking surprised at all the stuff.  
"Who cares!" Paige retorted, her eyes flickering around the room. She walked toward the chest that Phoebe had previously opened and began digging through it excitedly.

Phoebe moved out of Paige's way and looked back to Piper and Prue. "The door opened" She answered shrugging her shoulders at not really knowing how to explain it.

Piper suddenly looked worried. "Wait an incantation? What kind of incantation?" Piper pressed, crossing her arms in a disapproving manner. She looked remarkably like Prue at that moment.

"It said something about there being three essentials of magic. Uh, timing, feeling, and the phases of the moon. If we were ever going to do this. Now, midnight on a full moon, is the most powerful time," Phoebe explained sounding nervous yet kind of excited.

"This? Do what?" Piper asked grabbing Paige and pulling her away from the chest as if something might jump out and attack her there. Paige cast a glare at her older sister but just moved up behind Prue to read over her shoulder.  
Phoebe bit her lip but replied "Receive our powers…"  
"What powers? Wait! Our powers? You included me in this?" Piper asked, sounding frustrated. She glanced at Prue as if waiting for some kind of confirmation.

Prue looked up and nodded slightly. "Actually, she included all of us," Prue replied and cast a glare at Phoebe. "Bring your powers to we sisters four… It's a book of witchcraft," she realized closing the book and passing it to Piper who had her hands outstretched for it.

Paige began to look uncertain. "Well, nothing happened right?" she asked looking at each of her sisters for an answer.

~PO4~

Outside the Halliwell Manor

Outside the house, lightning flashed to show the silhouette of a person wearing a long coat standing outside the Halliwell Manor.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

A few moments later, all four sisters walked back down the stairs. Prue looked frustrated, Piper worried, Paige uncertain about whether to be excited or scared, and Phoebe indifferent.

"Spirit boards, books of witchcraft. It figures all this freaky stuff started when you arrived," Prue accused Phoebe breaking the tense silence between them all.  
"Hey, I wasn't the one who found the spirit board," Phoebe protested, her voice rising slightly.  
"Well, it wasn't my fingers sliding around on the pointer," Prue countered casting another glare back at her younger sister.  
"Piper! Make them shut up," Paige complained putting her fingers in her ears as if to mute the arguing out. She cast a pleading look at the Halliwell Mediator.

Piper pushed between Prue and Phoebe. "It doesn't matter because nothing happened, right Phoebe, when you did that incantation?" She asked staring intently at the younger sister.  
"Well, my head spun around and I vomited split-pea soup," Phoebe replied sarcastically then upon seeing Piper's patience running thin, yelled "How should I know?"  
"Nothing could have changed. It's just a book. It's not like any of that stuff actually works," Paige put in with a roll of her eyes. "It's just a little excitement for the night," She added.  
"Everything does look the same," Piper agreed looking around the foyer for a change but finding none.  
"You're right," Phoebe sighed, sounding slightly disappointed.  
"Yep, the house still needs work," Prue also agreed with Piper's observation while walking off towards the kitchen followed by Paige and Phoebe.

Piper followed reluctantly still looking around the house unconvinced. "Everything looks the same, so nothing's changed right?" Piper asked looking for reassurance. Prue glanced behind her back at Piper and smiled reassuringly.

~PO4~

Outside the Halliwell Manor

Outside the figure on the driveway turned and slowly walked off.


	2. Something Wicca This Way Come 2

The Halliwell Manor

All through the night Phoebe stayed up reading the Book of Shadows. Before she knew it bright sunshine was shining through the windows in the attic and she finally sat the book to the side and stood up, giving her legs a much-needed stretch. She walked through the house as quiet as she could, flinching whenever the old floor creaked beneath her creating an echo that traveled throughout the silent house. She vaguely wondered where her sisters were as she poured herself a cup of coffee that had already been made. Phoebe wanted so much to spill everything she had read last night to one of them. The first one she saw. However, the minutes ticked by and the only noise that gave away the presence of any other person in the house was the sound of running water as the shower was turned on. With a sigh she walked outside the Manor and sat on the steps, lost in thought over the newest revelation. She didn't know how long she sat there just thinking but after a while she heard the front door open behind her and she turned to greet her sister. Piper walked out of the house carrying a bag and a change of clothes for her job interview later in the day. She paused in surprise upon seeing Phoebe up so early in the morning. Just behind her a frantic-looking Paige pushed Piper to the side as she struggled to get out of the house.

"Sorry Piper! I'm late!" Paige exclaimed, giving her older sister an apologetic look as she raced to her car. Just outside it she turned to look at both sisters. "By the way, someone might want to set the clocks again. The lightening screwed them up. Bye Piper. Phoebe," She added throwing all her stuff in the back seat and jumping in the car.

Phoebe smiled slightly at the typical Paige before turning back to Piper who was staring after Paige, shaking her head slightly. With a roll of her eyes she returned Phoebe's smile.

"Her boss is a jerk and her alarm clock didn't go off," Piper explained with a shrug. "Anyways, you're up early," she stated, looking at Phoebe curiously.

"I never went to sleep," Phoebe admitted and turned to look back down the street while taking a sip of coffee.

Piper smiled wider and sat down next to her little sister. "Don't tell me you put on a black conical hat and spent the night flying around the neighborhood on a broomstick?" she questioned teasingly.

Phoebe rolled her eyes at Piper's question and shook her head. "The only broom I've ever owned was kept in a closet beside a mop," she retorted, laughing softly.

Piper narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "So what were you doing?" she asked, unsure if she actually wanted to know or not.

"Reading." she replied cryptically then looked back towards Piper. "Is Prue around?"

"She went to work early…" Piper answered and paused for a moment. "Reading…. Aloud?" She pressed nervously. Phoebe may think this whole idea of witchcraft was humorous but Piper was against the very idea of black magic.

"No…" Phoebe assured her. She wondered if she should even voice her suspicions with Piper. In the end, she was too excited to hold it in and decided to explain. "But… According to the Book of Shadows one of our ancestors was a witch named Melinda Warren," she began watching Piper's reaction closely.

Piper immediately stiffened at the mention of the book and took up the disapproving glance usually seen on Prue. "And we have a cousin who's a drunk, an aunt who's manic, and fathers who are invisible," she agreed sarcastically, getting to her feet and heading towards her jeep that was parked on the curb.

Phoebe groaned softly having expected this reaction and slowly followed Piper. "I'm serious. She practiced powers. Four powers. She could move objects with her mind, see the future, teleport, and stop time. Before Melinda was burned at the stake she vowed that each generation of Warren Witches would become stronger and stronger until culminating in the arrival of four sisters. Now these sisters would be the most powerful witches the world had ever known. They're good witches and…. I think we're those sisters," she confessed partly excited at the thought but also worried about her sisters' reactions.

During this speech, Piper had remained silent as she placed her bag and clothes in the seat of the jeep. As Phoebe finished she turned to face her after taking a deep breath.

"Alright. I know what happened last night was weird and unexplainable, but… we're not witches. We do not have special powers besides, Grams wasn't a witch and as far as we know… neither was Mom," Piper countered, trying to reason with her little sister. With a soft smile she hugged Phoebe good bye. "So take that Nancy Drew," Piper added and hopped into her car. The engine roared as it started up and she prepared to back out.

Desperate for her sister to understand, Phoebe couldn't resist calling after her "We're protectors of the innocent. We're known as the Charmed Ones." She was left in the middle of the street watching her sister drive off, looking disconcerted. Maybe she'd talk to Paige next…. Paige would probably be cool with it.

~PO4~

Museum of Natural History

At the Museum of Natural History, Prue walked next to Roger through the newest exhibit. She knew he had called her out here for something, but so far the conversation had been kept formal. Her sharp eyes didn't miss the glances Roger kept shooting at her and she turned away to pretend to look closer at the nearest artifacts. Behind her carefully stoic face she was highly annoyed and uncomfortable.

"So there's been a change of plans," Roger finally broke the small talk, causing Prue to stop her examination of the artifact and turn to face him.

"A change of plans?" Prue asked carefully, folding her arms across her chest in annoyance. If you have something to say than say it. Quit with the easing in. She thought irritably. She had so many other things to do: like paperwork. There was a whole stack on her desk for today. When he didn't answer immediately Prue prompted "Regarding the Beal's expedition?"

"The extra money you helped raise through private donations has sparked significant corporate interest. The Beal's artifacts will now become part of our permanent collection," he explained, looking around at the exhibit.

Prue listened to his voice and her eyes narrowed suspiciously. He sounded as if he had rehearsed exactly what he was now saying to her. There was a catch. There was always a catch with him. "Well, that's terrific," she feigned ignorance, waiting for Roger to get to the point. Roger took a few moments setting a file on the desk closest to him before turning back to Prue. "Which is why the board wants someone a little more qualified to handle the collection from now on," He continued carefully studying her reaction. To his satisfaction Prue couldn't completely hide the flash of surprise and anger in her eyes. "You look surprised," he observed, smiling slightly.

"I don't know why I'm furious," Prue snapped, her cold blue-grey eyes fixed unwaveringly on Roger. His smile caused her anger to rise even more but she kept her voice calm and steady. In her anger, she misinterpreted the meaning behind Roger's message. "Not only have I been on this project since its inception but I'm the curator who secured the entire exhibit," she ranted and then trailed off as she suddenly realized why he appeared so triumphant. After a deep breath she continued, her voice softer. "You're the person a little more qualified," she stated, it wasn't a question. She looked away in order to hide the stab of hurt in her eyes at the betrayal. Prue was quickly channeling it to anger.

"I could hardly say no to the board of directors could I?" Roger lied. "But I know you'll be happy for me, after all, what's good for me is definitely good for you. Right Miss Halliwell?" He continued, putting emphasis on the fact that Prue couldn't fight back with Roger higher up.

She didn't miss his meaning when he spoke her name formally and it took all of her self-control not to take the pen he pointed at her and stab him in the eye. "Miss Halliwell?" Prue asked with a roll of her eyes. "Since when have we been off a first name basis? When we stopped sleeping together or when I returned your engagement ring? Roger" she asked, challenging him.

"I didn't realize the two were mutually exclusive. But I certainly enjoyed one more than the other" Was his reply, his eyes telling her clearly what he thought.

"Bastard," Prue snapped, giving Roger a furious glare before turning around and beginning to walk off.

"Prue wait!" he called after her. In response, Prue stopped for a moment debating whether to start walking again without waiting for an explanation or to hear him out. Slowly she turned around to face him. "I feel like I should say something… if only to avoid a lawsuit," Roger offered.

Prue's eyes flashed and she focused all her anger on him, wishing more than anything to get him back, but using every ounce of self-control she had, turned her back on him and left. Just as she turned away the pen in his pocket began to leak bright blue ink on his dress shirt. Roger looked at it in surprise and pulled it out looking closely for a leak. As he opened the top to peer in all the ink blasted him in the face, causing him to cough and sputter.

~PO4~

Quake

In the popular café, Quake, Piper was quickly running back and forth between the counter and her boiling sauce that she was preparing for her audition. She was beginning to relax a little as she began pouring her wine (that Jeremy had bought her the day before) into a measuring cup. It was the last and most important ingredient for her recipe.

"Your time… is up," Chef Moore announced while coming into the audition room and smiling expectantly at Piper. Piper jumped in surprise and nearly dropped the measuring cup.

A look of fear crossed her features. Oh no… not yet. Not yet. She thought frantically spinning around to face him. "Let's see. Roast pork with gratin of fennel and penne with a port giblet sauce," he read her audition recipe in his French accent.

"Uhhh… Chef Moore?" Piper responded softly, desperately trying to think of some way to gain a few extra seconds to add the wine.

"What?" he asked, picking up a fork ready to sample.

"The port…" she began with a point behind her to the measuring cup. Her face visibly paled.

"Yes, without the sauce it is nothing more than a salty marinara from a woman's magazine. Puh," Chef Moore interrupted without a glance at Piper.

"I didn't have time for the…." Piper started frantically trying to explain but was interrupted by a cough from Chef Moore clearly telling her to keep silent. "But… but…" she stammered as he began to raise the fork to his mouth. Piper panicked and put her hands up as if to make a frantic grab to stop him. Everything around her froze, Chef Moore with his mouth half open. "Chef Moore?" she whispered in disbelief waving her hand in front of his face, looking for a response. With no response forthcoming she suddenly realized she could finish her recipe. She spun around and grabbed a baster filling it with wine from the measuring cup and ran back to Chef Moore. She dribbled some onto the forkful of food that he was about to eat. Just as she put the baster behind her back everything unfroze and Chef Moore put the food in his mouth.

He smiled in surprise and nodded slightly. "Mm… it is very good… C'est magnifique," he praised.

Piper stilled stunned by the unexpected help just forced a weak smile as she received the job. She nearly ran out of the restaurant toward the nearest phone booth afterwards. She had to talk to Phoebe.

~PO4~

South Bay Social Services

Paige slammed her car into park, pulled her keys out of the ignition, and ran through the parking lot into the South Bay Social Services Office. She looked at her watch as she ran through the hallway to her department. 45 minutes late. She thought irritably. Just outside the door she pushed her hair back pulling it up in a messy, but nice ponytail. Already late so I might as well look like I have a reason to be late and look nice. With that Paige pushed the doors open and almost immediately her brown eyes focused on Mr. Cowan who was beside her desk, obviously waiting for her to come in. "Mr. Cowan," she greeted in a falsely cheery voice as if nothing was any different.

Mr. Cowan watched Paige walk in and drop her purse on her desk. "45 minutes late… Need I ask for a reason?" he asked, his eyes narrowed in a disapproving manner.

Paige sighed and turned to face him. "Look the storm last night made our power go out and the clocks got all messed up," she explained crossing her arms across her chest defiantly.

"The Jones case. I need it in 15 minutes. Get to work," Mr. Cowan ordered, turning sharply to head back to his office. Midways to it he turned to look back at Paige. "This better not become a habit Ms. Matthews," he warned her and then disappeared into his office.

Paige nodded though he had already turned from her and sat down at her computer. She pulled the needed file out of her filing cabinet while waiting for the old computer to boot up noisily. She looked through the pages of the file and had to stifle a groan as there was page after page of information still needing to be filled out… and now in 15 minutes. Paige frantically looked around for a pen, knocking many things over on her desk. 

"Where the hell is my pen?" she ranted, slamming a drawer shut. 

As she reached for another drawer a pen materialized from bright white and blue lights in her hand. She screamed in surprise and dropped her pen jumping back into the cabinets behind her. She jumped in surprise again and she disappeared in a whirl of the same white and blue lights, reappearing in the same spot. Paige clutched at her table as she suddenly began to feel sick. Several employees including Mr. Cowan came running to see why she had screamed to find her pale and leaning against the table. Mr. Cowan took one look at her and looked at the nearest assistant. "Someone get her sister on the phone," he snapped as Paige slowly dropped back into her chair.

"Is this Prue Halliwell?" She heard one of her fellow workers say in the background as she dropped her head into her hands in an effort to keep the room from spinning.

~PO4~

Museum of Natural History

Prue sat at her desk fiddling with a pen as she tried to concentrate on the paperwork in front of her. She couldn't work like this, leaving only one solution. She threw her pen on top of her desk, shut down her computer, and left her office. As she drew near to Roger's office, his voice drifted out of the open door.

"Well, it was my idea to spark corporate interest in private donations. Not only have I been with this project since its inception, but we both know who really secured the entire exhibit…" he spoke into his phone as he swung his chair around only to catch sight of Prue at the door, clearly having heard his every word. "Prue…" he froze for a split moment but before he could say anything Prue spoke.

"I quit," she stated, crossing her arms across her chest. In an effort keep calm she leaned against the wall just inside the door. 

Roger, who was shocked into silence, suddenly remembered who he had on the phone and hastily whispered in it. "I'm going to have to call you back" before turning to face Prue again. "Think about this, Prue," Roger ordered.

There was a short pause as Prue humored him before speaking again. "Lousy job, lousy pay… lousy boss. What's to think about?" she asked a slight smile crossing her features as she put Roger in an uncomfortable position.

"Your future. Because, believe me, if you walk out of here without any notice, you can kiss any references…."

"Don't threaten me, Roger," Prue warned, her blue-grey eyes turning cold again.

Roger trailed off uncertainly and tried to play it off as a joke. "You know me… had to try," he explained smiling before getting to his feet and coming to stand right in front of Prue.

"Look, you're hurt, you're angry, your pride is wounded. I understand all that… That's why you can't see that I'm doing you a favor," he added half-hopefully.

Prue stared at him in disbelief. "Excuse me?" she asked with a roll of her eyes.

"I had to take the exhibit away from you. If I hadn't the board would have come and put a total stranger in my place. Think about it, Prue. I'm here for you. Not some stranger. You should be thanking me not leaving me," he continued.

Prue fixed her eyes on her hands as if pondering what he had to say which led him to gain confidence as he progressed in swaying her. She nearly laughed but managed to refrain herself and just looked up at him smiling. "Well, I'm not worried. I'm sure your intellect will make quick work of the 75 computer disks and thousands of pages of research I left in my office," she countered sarcastically, her smile growing as Roger's face fell at the realization of the consequences upon her leaving.

"You're going to regret this," he stated sharply, advancing a step.

Prue didn't back down and held his gaze confidently. "Oh, I don't think so. I thought breaking up with you was the best thing I'd ever done, but… this definitely tops that. Goodbye, Roger," she offered in a cheery tone as she turned and walked out the door for the last time.

Fuming and dumbfounded, he could only think of one thing to try and make her stay. "Your sisters… Think about your sisters. If you walk away now they'll…." he trailed off as Prue fixed him with such a look of anger that he immediately fell silent. She took a deep breath to steady herself and with one last look of disgust turned the corner into the hall, his voice drifted out behind her. "I hope there are no office supplies in your purse," he called as she disappeared. Prue clenched her hands around an invisible neck and pushed into an adjoining hall. As she did so the tie around Roger's neck suddenly tightened and he struggled for breath. He tried to tug it off to no avail and he frantically searched his desk for a pair of scissors to cut it off. He managed to slit it off, but fell from his chair in the process. "What the hell was that?" Roger wondered vaguely while lying on the floor.

~PO4~

Outside her car Prue's cell phone began to ring. She dropped her purse on the hood of her car and searched throughout it trying to locate the phone. Come on phone! She thought and then suddenly it flew from her purse into her hand. She stared in shock for a split moment until the incessant ringing grabbed her attention. "Hello?" Prue asked softly.

"Is this Prue Halliwell?" A voice she didn't recognize called through.

"Yes. Who is this?"

"Donna Franklin from South Bay Social Services. Your sister Paige needs to be picked up," the voice answered.

Prue's heart skipped a beat in fear. She paused a moment trying to get control of her voice again. "What's wrong? Is she okay?" she finally managed to ask.

"She almost collapsed a few minutes ago and we felt she shouldn't try and drive herself home," Donna replied.

"I'll be there in about ten minutes," Prue promised and then hung up and jumped in her car…. The incident with her phone was forgotten.

~PO4~

Outside Quake

Out on the street next to Quake, Piper was inside the nearest phone booth putting her second quarter into the slot. No one had answered the first call. She waited nervously counting the rings growing increasingly impatient. "Phoebe, answer the phone… Phoebe," she willed her sister to pick up on the other end. The answering machine clicked on and Piper slammed the phone back on the holder and stormed out. A young man with sandy blonde hair approached Piper, causing her to jump back in surprise. "Oh, God, Jeremy! You scared me," Piper exclaimed, holding her hand over her heart and taking deep breaths to calm it down.

"I…I see. I'm sorry. You okay?" Jeremy asked his voice full of concern for his girlfriend.

The color was now beginning to return to Piper's face and she smiled at the surprise meeting with Jeremy. "Now I am. I really am. Uh… What are you doing here?" she asked, tilting her head slightly in curiosity.

"Well, I wanted to be the first one to congratulate you on your new job," he explained. "Which meant that I had to find you before one of your sisters… Prue in particular, beat me to it," Jeremy added as a joke.

Piper laughed with a roll of her eyes. "You needn't have worried. Prue hasn't called," she assured him, looking slightly put down. She vaguely wondered why Prue hadn't called. She always did, usually before results were even found out. She didn't dwell on it long as the thought was pushed out of her mind as another popped in. "How did you know?" Piper asked in surprise.

"You prepared your specialty and anyone who has ever sampled your work can truly see how talented you are," he explained, taking a step closer to her.

"I get so turned on when you talk about food," She laughed, giving him her hands.

Jeremy pulled her to him and whispered into her ear. "Hamburgers… Pizza," before he kissed her.

~PO4~

The Street

Phoebe was riding her bike through the neighborhood, on her way to the small convenient store at the end of the street. She was trying to remember all the necessities she was going to buy when she heard a roaring in her ears and she flinched as a different scene flashed in front of her eyes. On the same street she was on now, a car appeared coming over the slight hill. The scene flashed to a side street where two boys were rollerblading down the road. A large truck  
was parked on the curb blocking the oncoming car from seeing the boys and vice versa. The boys skated into the road and were struck by the car. Phoebe steadied her bike carefully and shook her head to clear the thoughts from her head when she saw the car coming over the hill. She quickly looked to the side street and saw, to her horror, the two boys rollerblading exactly as she had seen just moments before. Frantically she sped her bike up and coasted straight toward them and the car. 

"No wait!" she screamed at them as she skidded right in front of the boys preventing them from rollerblading into the street, but just barely missing the car which honked at her. Phoebe lost control of her bike and it fell on her as the two boys ran to help her and the driver of the car took out his phone to call for an ambulance.

~PO4~

South Bay Social Services

"Are you sure you're okay?" Prue asked Paige for what seemed the umpteenth time since Prue had arrived at South Bay Social Services five minutes before. Prue was following Paige closely as if she expected her to collapse at any moment and wanted to be ready to catch her baby sister. Paige sent a look of annoyance back at her eldest sister, but otherwise didn't respond. Prue had just arrived to pick Paige up and they were heading out to Prue's car. Paige had hurried Prue out as she was anxious to tell her exactly what had happened hoping she could 'fix the problem' like she always did. As Prue opened the passenger seat to her car, Paige glanced back at her own vehicle.

"What about my car?" she asked, looking uncertain. She turned her wide brown eyes toward Prue as if pleading.

"No, you are not driving home. I'll find someone to pick it up and bring it by. Worst case scenario when Piper gets home, she can drive me to come get it," Prue berated, motioning again for Paige to get in the car. Paige sighed and jumped in after casting one last longing look toward hers. Prue sat in the drivers' seat and once again started the car. "So, what really happened Missy Paige?" she asked, again sounding concerned. Paige hesitated. Now that she could explain what happened she suddenly wasn't sure how Prue would react. Prue seemed to notice as she took Paige's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Paigey?" she prodded gently.

The youngest sister relaxed upon seeing the worry in her big sister's eyes. "Okay… but it's going to sound really crazy," she warned, judging Prue's reaction closely. Prue looked slightly confused, but just gave a slight nod telling her to continue. "I got to work late because my alarm clock didn't go off this morning and I had this big folder of paperwork that had to be turned in in 15 minutes. I couldn't find my pen, but then suddenly it appeared in my hand. I freaked and jumped back and I saw blue and white lights all around me. I saw nothing for a split moment before I again saw my office. After that I began to feel really sick and that is when everyone came to see why I had screamed…" she trailed  
off trying to read Prue's expression, though it gave nothing of what she thought away. In truth, Prue was thinking back to when her phone flew to her hand, the moment recurring now that the fear for her sister had dissipated. Before Prue could answer her cell phone went off again and Paige reached to answer it as Prue was driving. Paige was silent as she listened to the voice on the other end. She paled visibly the longer she listened.

Prue glanced over the worry returning to her light blue eyes. "What is it?" she insisted, unable to handle the silence when something was clearly bothering her.

Paige hung up before answering. "We need to go to the hospital. Phoebe got into an accident," she explained, looking out the window in the general direction of the hospital.

"What happened?" Prue asked quickly as she did a u-turn at the nearest turning lane.

"Nothing too serious. She fell off her bike or something," Paige explained, trying not to sound too worried.

Prue sighed and glanced toward her baby sister. She again gave her hand a comforting squeeze. "Don't worry, Paigey. Everything is going to be okay," Prue promised. Paige looked into her sister's eyes and couldn't disagree. She gave a slight nod, knowing that when Prue said 'everything' she wasn't just talking about Phoebe. Maybe Prue actually believed her.

~PO4~

Forensic Department

Andy walked into San Francisco PD's forensic department, his dark blue eyes scouring the area for Franklin. Franklin glanced up from his computer and caught sight of Andy approaching him.

"Trudeau," he greeted.  
"Franklin. Have you found anything?" Andy asked, looking hopefully at his computer for a DNA match or anything that would be remotely helpful in putting this nutcase behind bars.

"The DNA recovered does not solely belong to the victim, but there may not be enough to give us a match. It is being processed now," Franklin explained, passing some of the files to Andy to look over.

"And the fingerprints?" he asked, flipping through the pages for anything new.

"The machine only picked up three points to match and you need at least five on a single person to press an accusation," Franklin admitted with a frown. "I can print out a list of all the people that match those three points in the area, but it won't narrow your search down by much," he offered.

Andy ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "Go ahead and do that to add to the file," he replied, tossing the file back down on the table. Franklin nodded and turned back to his computer. A few moments later the printer started up. As Andy sat watching paper after paper shoot out of the printer his phone went off. He looked at the number and recognized it as Darryl's. "Trudeau," he answered.

"Where are you, Trudeau? We have a meeting with the Captain in ten minutes," Darryl reminded him sounding exasperated.

"Just picking up the files from Franklin," Andy explained as Franklin paper-clipped all the pages together and stuck them in the file.

"Make it quick," Darryl ordered and then hung up. Andy placed his cell back in his pocket and took the file Franklin was handing him. He said goodbye and met Darryl outside the Captain's office.

~PO4~

Twenty minutes later Andy was on his way to Bay Area Hospital to meet with Dr. Gordon. He was to take all the files in hope that Dr. Gordon could find something that had been overlooked. He entered the hospital and pushed his way to the front of the receptionist's desk.

"I'm here to see Dr. Gordon," Andy told the current receptionist. She nodded and motioned for him to wait a second and she turned to try and help a particularly frantic family. Andy dropped all the files on the counter and persisted to look over them. There has to be something we missed... It helped his concentration as the loud family was moved on. Whoever was after them were much quieter. His thoughts were interrupted only by the receptionist asking for his name. And then he froze as he heard his name called by someone, even though years had passed, he recognized instantly. He almost didn't look up thinking he couldn't have heard correctly, but he did, and there she was. Prue.

~PO4~

Bay Area Hospital

At the Bay Area Hospital, Prue and Paige pushed through the crowd toward the receptionists' desk and got in the short line. Apparently, there was some trouble locating the family member of the group in the front, slowing the line down considerably. Prue crossed her arms impatiently as the worry began to return with nothing else to distract her. Paige glanced down at the watch on her wrist and sighed. "Look, I'm going to go get some water," she explained, getting out of line. "Do you want anything?" she inquired, watching Prue anxiously.

"No, thanks," was Prue's short reply before she fell silent willing the line to move faster as the family in front finally left and it began to inch forward. The people in front of her were, thankfully, quick and then she was next. She closed the space between her and the receptionist quickly in her worry, though slow enough not to trample the young man already at the desk. Prue didn't even cast him a glance in her haste and it was unlikely that he would have offered much conversation as he was immersed in the files in front of him. Before the receptionist could ask, Prue responded. "I'm looking for my sister, Phoebe Halliwell."

The receptionist glanced at her before replying. "One second, please," and she turned to face the young man to her left. "What's the name again?" the receptionist asked him and Prue followed her gaze wishing he'd hurry up so she could learn about Phoebe. He finally looked up from his files to the receptionist. "Inspector Andrew Trudeau. Homicide. Dr. Gordon's expecting me," He answered, showing her his police mark. Surprise flashed across Prue's eyes and she looked at him closer as if disbelieving. However, to her annoyance the receptionist left without telling her anything about Phoebe. Prue stood there silently wondering if she should say something to Andy or to keep silent. He apparently hadn't noticed her. Finally, she couldn't help her curiosity from getting the better of her and she turned toward him. "Andy?" she called, still looking as if she didn't believe it was him.

Andy turned around to look at who had called his name, the surprise evident in his eyes. "Prue?" he asked. "I don't believe it…. How are you?" All the frustration with the case flew from his mind and he smiled as he realized Prue was no less surprised as he was. In fact she appeared at a loss.

"Uh, I'm good." she replied somewhat awkwardly, beginning her old habit of picking at her cuticles. "How are you?" Prue asked, studying him. He hadn't changed much… He was still handsome, charming, and his eyes…. She had to stifle a sigh and look away to keep herself calm.

Andy could have laughed at her if he hadn't been in danger of doing the same thing. "Fine… I just can't believe I'm running into you." he admitted quickly. Andy suddenly frowned slightly as he began to wonder why exactly she was here. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were all like his sisters and he sincerely hoped all of them were okay.

Prue read his unspoken question and jumped at the conversation to avoid the awkward silence that usually followed surprise reunions. "Yeah. Paige and I are picking up Phoebe. She had some sort of an accident," she explained and began to look around as she suddenly remembered Paige was supposed to be with her.

"Is she going to be okay?" Andy asked the worry evident in his voice.

Prue bit her lip not really knowing the answer to that having not really been told. "I think she just fell off her bike," was her response. She once again glanced back at the empty receptionists' desk. "What are you doing here?" she asked, pushing her thoughts away from Phoebe. There wasn't anything she could do until someone came back.

Andy understood immediately and let the subject of Phoebe drop. "Murder investigation" he answered pointing toward the files that were still on the counter. Prue didn't really know what to say about that and she again looked down at her hands as an awkward silence fell between the two. Luckily the receptionist returned at that moment. She spoke to Prue first.

"Your sister is still in x-rays so it'll be another 15 minutes."

Prue felt slightly relieved by the receptionist's voice… She didn't sound like Phoebe was hurt seriously, but just to make sure Prue couldn't help but ask. "Is she okay?"

The receptionist, who had turned to speak to Andy turned back to face Prue. "Nothing serious. The x-ray is just a precaution. After that is finished the doctor will speak with you," she clarified before turning back to Andy, who appeared as if he was trying not to laugh. "Dr. Gordon's office is to the left and down the hall. He's with a patient right now, but you're welcome to wait outside his office." With that she turned to leave.

"Thank you," Andy returned and Prue echoed. There was another moment of silence before Andy put his hand out formally. "Well… it's good seeing you, Prue."

"Yeah. You too Andy. Take care." she answered and they both began to turn their separate ways.

Prue was looking slightly upset at the formality and Andy apparently felt the same as he turned back to her. "You know… Phoebe's busy, Dr. Gordon's busy…. Can I buy you a black cup of coffee while we wait?" he asked hopefully. Andy smiled wider as he realized Prue couldn't quite hide her pleasure that he'd prolonged the reunion.

"Sure." How could I say no? Prue thought, eagerly following him through the hospital, though careful to keep her emotions in check so as not to embarrass herself.

Andy watched her closely thinking that she hadn't changed either. He remembered her eyes the most and was pleased to see the sparkle was just the same. He looked around for some inspiration for a topic. "I thought you said Paige came with you…" he stated, having still not seen the youngest Halliwell.

Prue also looked around for her baby sister, but didn't see her in the immediate area. "She did… I just lost her. She went to get water or something," Prue explained with a shrug. By this time they had approached the coffee machine. "You're an inspector now?" she asked, appearing impressed.

"What can I say? In any other city I'd be called a detective," Andy replied, unable to keep from gloating just a little.

Prue smiled and rolled her eyes. "Hmm… Inspector's classier" she offered as Andy put the coins into the machine.

"Liking it better already," he laughed.

"Your dad must be so proud," Prue thought aloud.

"Third generation. You bet he's happy," he agreed then decided to switch the topic toward her. "So how about you? You taking the world by storm?"

Prue blushed slightly, thinking back to the money problems, the problem with Phoebe, she just quit her job, more money problems, and the fact that she was still living in the same house she grew up in. "Uh… well… I'm still living in the Manor and as of an hour ago…. I quit my job," she explained quickly.

Andy looked surprised, but seeing her discomfort didn't push the subject. "Oh," he replied, giving her the coffee.

She smiled gratefully and switched the subject back to him again. "I thought you moved to Portland…"

"I'm back," he announced and couldn't resist asking about Roger. "You, uh, still seeing Roger?"

Prue narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him. "How do you know about him?" she demanded, giving him a piercing, but playful, look.

Andy suddenly looked a little uncomfortable and obviously wished to get out of answering it. Finding no way out however he had to answer. "I know people," Andy offered cryptically.

Prue quickly put two and two together. "You checked up on me…" she accused, her blue eyes watching him carefully in order to catch a lie.

Andy tried to look away, but found he couldn't. "I… wouldn't call it that," he denied. He was relieved that Prue seemed to find it funny and didn't appear angry.

"Well, what would you call it?" Prue asked eagerly, seeing he was trapped.

"Uh, inquiring minds want to know?" he proposed.

Prue laughed and rolled her eyes. "You checked up on me," she stated, shaking her head slightly.

"Well, what can I say? I'm a detective," he allowed and looked over her shoulder to see the missing Halliwell running toward them. "And…. This detective just found your missing sister," Andy added, offering her a playful glance.

"Hey, Prue! You have to sign for Phoebe to get out!" Paige yelled over the crowd as Prue followed Andy's gaze behind her to see Paige. She glanced back at Andy slightly embarrassed as Paige ended their conversation. He bid her farewell and finally set off to see Dr. Gordon ten minutes late. A giggling Paige had to pull Prue toward where Phoebe was waiting as she was too immersed in seeing Andy again to think about where to go.

~PO4~

Quake

After Paige finally managed to get Prue focused enough to check Phoebe out all three sisters went to Quake to get a drink. Prue had tried to call Piper to see if she wanted to meet them, but there was no answer and the other two sisters insisted that she was out with Jeremy. The conversation was quickly turned to how Phoebe had fallen off her bike. Unfortunately, it took the direction Prue did not want it to take. Phoebe began explaining about Melinda Warren, their powers, and their destiny. Paige looked pretty convinced, Prue thought back to her phone flying to her hand, but defiantly refused to believe.

"The Chosen Ones? The Charmed Ones? Phoebe this is insane," Prue snapped, giving her a disapproving glance.

"I don't know Prue…. I told you about what happened to me at work. How else do you explain that pen showing up in my hand?" Paige asked, in such a way as not to upset Prue and start a war inside Quake.

"Lack of sleep," Prue suggested and Paige cast her a glare.

"Are you telling me nothing strange happened to you today? You didn't freeze time or teleport or anything?" Phoebe prodded in disbelief.

"Roger took an exhibit away from me," Prue offered as a form of a joke. Phoebe looked exasperated and turned partially away while Paige just shook her head. Prue took a deep breath and continued. "Alright look, Phoebe, I know you think you can see the future which is pretty ironic…."

"Since you don't think I have one? That my vision of life is cloudy next to your perfect hell?" Phoebe interrupted her voice rising slightly. "Even if you don't want to believe me can't you trust Paige…. Or better yet for once can't you just trust me?"

Prue shook her head, looking aggravated by the continuance of this conversation. "Phoebe, Paige… I do not have special powers," she replied slowly, making sure both her little sisters were listening. Neither said anything in return. "Now where is the cream?" Prue continued. Just as she said it the cup of cream moved toward her. Paige and Phoebe stared in surprise while Prue stared with a mixture of shock and disbelief. Another glance and the cream moved from her cup to her coffee.

Phoebe was the first to recover and break the silence. "Really? That looks pretty special to me…" Phoebe pointed out while Paige was grinning, clearly impressed.

"That was so cool. Do it again!" Paige insisted but then suddenly looked downcast. "Wait, I thought I moved objects!" she complained looking at her sisters for an explanation.

Phoebe just shrugged and Prue wasn't listening, still in shock. "Oh my God… so, um, I can move objects with my mind?" she demanded while turning to Phoebe for an explanation.

"With how much you hold inside you should be a lethal weapon by now…" Phoebe teased in response. Paige nodded in agreement but still looked confused.

"I don't believe this…" Prue muttered to herself, feeling a major migraine coming on.

"So with you seeing the future and Prue moving objects…. That leaves teleportation and stopping time. Piper has one but what about me?" Paige asked, trying to get all this information organized. Again Phoebe shrugged at a loss. Prue still in shock of such an important discovery reached past her two sisters to grab Phoebe's shot of tequila and downed it in one gulp.

Phoebe and Paige looked at each other, worried for their eldest sister. "Are you okay?" Phoebe asked watching her carefully.  
Prue narrowed her eyes at Phoebe in aggravation. "No… I am not okay. You've turned me into a witch," she accused, putting her head in her hands.

"Well, technically we were born one," Paige offered, wrapping her arms around Prue comfortingly.

"And I think we had better start learning to deal with that," Phoebe added, only to receive another glare from Paige, telling her to give Prue time to get accustomed to the idea.

Prue paid for their drinks and the three sisters left Quake to walk to the pharmacy to pick up Phoebe's medicine. Phoebe and Paige were still talking excitedly about being witches while Prue walked slightly behind them, her arms crossed.

"When I was looking through the Book of Shadows I saw these wood carvings. They looked like something out of a bosch painting. All these terrifying images of four women battling different incarnations of evil," Phoebe was explaining.

"Evil fighting evil. That's a twist," Prue muttered, appearing distressed. Paige also frowned uncertainly when Prue described them as evil.

Phoebe shook her head in response. "Actually, a witch can be either good or evil. A good witch follows the Wiccan rede 'An it harm none, do what ye will' while a bad witch or a warlock has but one goal. To kill good witches and obtain their powers. Unfortunately, they look like regular people. They could be anyone, anywhere," Phoebe clarified, putting her sisters' minds at ease, at least partially.

Both sisters nodded slightly. "So how exactly do we fit into this?" Paige asked curiously.

"Well, in the first wood carving they were in slumber, but in the next they were battling some kind of warlock. I think that as long as we were in the dark about our powers, we were safe. Not anymore," she admitted.

~PO4~

Inside a Cab

Piper and Jeremy were sitting in the back of a cab on their way to Jeremy's house. They had just come from a Chinese restaurant and Piper was holding the fortune cookies that they had received upon paying. She was biting her lip nervously deciding whether to bring up her freezing thing to Jeremy. Finally she decided she had better use an around-about method.

"Has anything weird or unexplainable ever happened to you?" Piper asked slowly, refusing to look at Jeremy.

Jeremy looked confused at the sudden question, but just shrugged it off. "Sure, it's called luck or fate. Some call it miracles," he replied, his eyes not leaving Piper. He could tell she was distressed about something. "Why? What happened?" Jeremy questioned gently.

"Never mind. Even if I could tell you, you'd swear I was crazy. Open your fortune cookie," she ordered, forcing a smile and offering him the other cookie.

Jeremy studied her for a moment before taking the cookie and shifting positions. "Alright," he agreed and opened his cookie, pulling out the tiny slip of paper inside it. He forced his face to keep stoic and read it aloud. "Soon you will be on top," he nodded to himself as if he liked the idea and watched Piper's reaction out of the corner of his eyes.

"It doesn't say that," Piper accused, glaring at him playfully.

"Yes it does," Jeremy insisted with an innocent smile. Piper, still doubting, grabbed the paper out of his hand and began to read it. "Is it a bad thing?"

"Of the world. Soon you will be on top of the world," she corrected, rolling her chocolate brown eyes and throwing the paper back at him.

Jeremy laughed and got the cab driver's attention. "Hey, can you make a left on seventh please?" he asked rhetorically, pointing to the street.

"You got it," the driver responded and the cab turned in that direction.

"Seventh? I thought we were going to your place," Piper pointed out, looking at Jeremy quizzically.

"We are. But you reminded me of something. I want to show you the old Bowing Building. The view of the Bay Bridge…. It's amazing," Jeremy explained, flashing a charming smile back at Piper.

~PO4~

The Pharmacy

Prue, Phoebe, and Paige were standing outside the desk of the Pharmacy, waiting on Phoebe's prescriptions. Phoebe handed the signed paper to the Pharmacist and he nodded to them.

"I'll be right back with your prescriptions," he answered and turned toward the back.

"Take your time," Phoebe offered, turning to look back at her sisters in time to see Prue step forward and stop the Pharmacist.

"Excuse me… Where do you keep the aspirin?" Prue asked desperately.

The Pharmacist looked up at the signs and pointed. "Aisle Three," he replied and disappeared into the back of the store. Prue turned around and grabbed Paige's hand, pulling them both toward Aisle Three.

Phoebe turned around appearing amused and followed the other two. "Chamomile Tea works great for headaches," Phoebe suggested, smiling innocently. Paige sent her a glare from behind Prue warning her not to make Prue angry.

"Not for this one it won't," Prue snapped her other hand gingerly touching her head as she turned into the aisle and began searching for the bottles of aspirin.

Phoebe ignored Paige and continued to taunt Prue by bringing up the witch topic. "You know, I'm not afraid of our powers. I mean, everyone inherits something from their family right?" Phoebe asked, picking up random bottles of medication off the shelves in order to read them before putting them back.

"Yeah, money, antiques, a strong disposition. That's what normal people inherit," Prue countered, her voice beginning to rise in frustration.

"Phoebe, can't you just let it go?" Paige hissed, starting to get aggravated. Where's Piper when you need her? She thought bitterly.

Phoebe grinned at Paige, but otherwise showed no sign of having heard as she continued. "Who wants to be normal when we can be special?" Phoebe asked, her eyes flicking between both sisters.

"I want to be normal. I want my life to be… you know isn't this Aisle Three?" Prue snapped her voice a pitch higher, as she spun around to look at the medication behind her. Paige gave up and pulled her hand out of Prue's and went to stand back out of the way of World War III that was about to begin.

"Well, we can't change what happened. We can't undo our destiny," Phoebe retorted, leaning back against the aisle and clearly enjoying herself.

"Do you see any Aspirin?" Prue pleaded, choosing to ignore Phoebe, though her patience was clearly at its end.

"I see chamomile tea," Phoebe observed.

Prue clenched her fists and turned to face her little sister while Paige backed further away. "Look. I have just found out that I'm a witch, that my sisters are witches, and that we have powers that will unleash all forms of evil. Evil that is apparently going to come looking for us, so excuse me Phoebe, but I'm not exactly in a homeopathic mood right now," she yelled, trying her best to keep her voice as soft as possible so no one else would hear.

Phoebe listened unfazed. "Then move your headache out of your mind," she retorted, crossing her arms expectantly. Prue glared at her little sister, her eyes blazing in barely contained anger. Behind Paige a bottle of aspirin shot off the shelf, past Paige, and flew toward Prue, who accidently caught it. Prue stared down at it in confusion, distracting her thoughts from Phoebe. A light bulb seemed to light up in Phoebe. "You move things when you're upset," Phoebe observed, sharing a knowing look with Paige.

"This is ridiculous! I thought you landed on your arm, not your head!" Prue shouted, looking as if she was about to throw the bottle of aspirin at Phoebe.

"You don't believe me?" Phoebe asked, her voice rising in disbelief.

"Of course I don't believe you!" she retorted.

Phoebe crossed her arms in defiance. "Roger…" she taunted and the whole shelf of aspirin flew past Paige to land in the floor.

Paige was staring, shocked. "Uh, can you two continue this somewhere else? Someone is going to hear or see us…" Paige pleaded, running up to grab Prue's arm to try and drag her away.

Phoebe continued as if she hadn't even heard Paige. "Now let's talk about Dad and see what happens," Phoebe suggested rhetorically.

Prue shook Paige off and bent down to pick up the bottles of aspirin. "He's dead, Phoebe," Prue retorted sharply.

"No, he's moved from New York, but he's very much alive," Phoebe returned.

"He isn't to me. He died the day he left Mom."

"What are you talking about? He's always been a major button pusher for you. You're mad he's alive, you're mad I tried to find him, and you're mad I came back. Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad!" Phoebe jeered. In response, everything on the shelves in Aisle Three flew through the air with a loud crash. Paige screamed in panic as several bottles flew right to her, but she never felt the impact as she was suddenly surrounded by the blue and white lights from before. Phoebe and Prue watched her disappear for a moment before reappearing in the same spot. Paige stumbled and Prue instinctively reached out to catch her before she fell. "You just teleported! I think…" Phoebe exclaimed.

"I did?" Paige asked weakly, holding on tightly to Prue, trying to keep the room from spinning.

Phoebe nodded and looked around at the destruction of Aisle Three. She glanced at Prue, satisfied. "Feel better?" she asked.

Prue looked around and smiled softly. "Lots," She admitted.

"The Book of Shadows said our powers would grow," Phoebe explained, looking impressed.

Prue's smile widened as did Paige's. "Grow to what?" Prue asked and started laughing. Phoebe and Paige quickly joined her. Maybe this wasn't going to be so bad after all.

~PO4~

The Bowing Building

Jeremy pulled a half-reluctant Piper toward the Bowing Building. He lightly kicked the door open and cheerfully turned back to her.

"Well, here we are," he told her, stepping aside so Piper could enter.

Just outside the door, Piper hesitated. "I don't care how amazing the view is. I'm not going in there," she stated defiantly, looking around at the dark shadows and the old creaky walls doubtfully.

Jeremy smiled and took her hand before gently pulling her along with him. "Come on, Come on. I have a surprise inside," he explained. They entered the old elevator and Jeremy lowered the door. With a press of a button the elevator began to move slowly upward. He stepped back to join Piper calmly. "You're going to love this. I bet you'll tell Prue, Phoebe, and Paige the moment you see them," Jeremy added.

Piper suddenly looked a little confused and she turned to look at Jeremy quizzically. "I never mentioned Phoebe came home." she stated, wondering who he'd gotten the information from before she had a chance to tell him.

"Whoops…" he muttered and stuck his hand in his back pocket, feigning casualness. The next second he had spun around with a knife pointed straight at Piper, who jumped slightly in surprise.

"What is that?" Piper asked, taking a step back, but not really frightened since she was with Jeremy.

"It's your surprise," he answered, twirling the knife in his hand and taking a small step toward her.

"Jeremy, stop it… you're scaring me," she ordered, looking aggravated. He continued to advance. "Damn it! I'm serious!" she snapped, sounding remarkably like Prue.

Jeremy grinned, enjoying her ignorance and kept advancing slowly. "So am I. See I've waited six months for this. Ever since Grams went to the hospital. I've known for quite some time that as soon as the old witch croaked, all your powers would be released. Powers that would reveal themselves as soon as the four of you got back together again. All that was needed was for Phoebe to return," he explained. A look of horror flashed across Piper's face as she tried to circle around to get as far away from him as the elevator would allow. After a few moments she regained her voice.

"It was you, wasn't it? You killed all those women." Piper stated, almost in disbelief.

"Not women…. Witches," Jeremy corrected.

"Why?" Piper asked in a small voice.

Jeremy held up his other hand and flames shot out of his fingertips. "It was the only way to receive their powers…" he explained, grinning. His face began to contort and his voice became deeper and darker as he finished. "…And now I want yours." He raised the knife above his head ready to plunge it into her as he had so many others.

Piper screamed and instinctively threw her hands up in front of her. Just before it hit her, everything, including him froze. She stood there in shock for a split moment before looking desperately for a way out. "Okay… Think, Stay calm… Think, think, think. I gotta get outta here." she muttered to herself seeing her only escape being to climb out of the frozen elevator. She carefully moved around Jeremy, watching him closely in case he unfroze before climbing out onto the next level. Just as she set foot on the floor Jeremy unfroze and grabbed her leg, trying to pull her back in. Piper screamed again and reached for the stairs to grab on to. As her grip on the stairs was about to give way she reached  
for a long piece of wood, which she turned around and hit him across the head with. Jeremy fell to floor unconscious and Piper ran off as fast as she could for home.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

At the Halliwell Manor, Prue and Paige were searching the house for Piper while Phoebe checked the answering machine for any messages left from her. She clicked the button and Roger's voice filled the room.

"Prue. It's Roger. I've decided to let you come back to work. Seriously, let's talk." The machine clicked off and the room was left in silence until Paige came walking in, holding a white cat formerly seen at the aforementioned victim's apartment.

"Well, turning into a cat wouldn't happen to be one of her powers, would it?" Paige called putting the cat down on the ground.

Phoebe shook her head in answer, a small smile playing at the edges of her lips. "How did the cat get in?" Phoebe asked curiously.

"I don't know. Maybe there was a window open, but, um, did Piper leave a message?" Paige replied, glancing at Phoebe, who shook her head. Paige sighed in aggravation. "This is so frustrating," she muttered.

"She's probably still out with Jeremy," Phoebe offered and then glanced down at the answering machine. "Uh, Roger called. Do you want to tell Prue?" she asked awkwardly.

Paige glanced up in surprise, but shook her head. "He's not worth our time. Prue doesn't need to know and I don't want her going back to work with him. She can find a different job," she responded carefully. Phoebe nodded in agreement and then looked around slightly confused.

"Where is she anyways?" Phoebe asked, seeing no sign of the eldest sister.

"She went to her room for something" Paige returned, going to her candy drawer and pulling out a lollipop. "Want one?" she offered. Phoebe smiled gratefully but declined.

~PO4~

Prue was indeed in her room, but instead of getting something she just felt the need to get away. If only for a moment. So much had changed in just one day. She'd quit her job… finally, her high school sweetheart had come back to San Francisco, and she had learned she was a witch with magical powers all in one day. She had just sat down on the edge of her bed when she felt it. An overwhelming feeling of fear shot through her, but somehow she felt it wasn't her own. She froze as if she was straining to hear something and she felt the cold, wet wind hit her face as if she was running outside, though she was in her warm, still room. Prue jumped up and ran down the stairs to where Paige and Phoebe were  
standing casually around. They both looked up in surprise at seeing Prue so worried. "What is it?" they asked in unison, but instead of answering Prue walked past them to the door and opened it just as a terrified Piper was reaching out for the doorknob.

"Prue," She choked out, pushing into the Manor and slamming the door closed behind her, locking it shut. She immediately fell into her big sister's embrace, trying to steady her breathing.

Paige and Phoebe were still staring in surprise. "You knew… but how did you know…Piper… and the door," Paige babbled, taking her lollipop out of her mouth and pointing from Prue to Piper looking for an explanation. 

Prue ignored Paige and looked at Piper. "What happened?" she asked gently.

Piper glanced at Prue for a moment before turning to Phoebe and Paige. "Lock the doors, check the windows. We don't have a lot of time. Phoebe, in the Book of Shadows did it say anything about how to get rid of a…"

"Warlock?" Phoebe interrupted, guessing Piper's thought. Piper nodded silently.

"Oh my god…" Prue whispered and upon seeing all her sisters frozen in shock took charge. "Phoebe, go look in the book for anything to get rid of a… a …. warlock. Paige, check the windows upstairs. Piper and I have down here," she ordered and Phoebe and Paige ran upstairs immediately, leaving Piper and Prue to go different directions on the main floor.

~PO4~

The Bowing Building

In the elevator, Jeremy regained consciousness and picked up his knife. He climbed out of the elevator and ran outside. "I'll get you, you bitch," he muttered to himself as he ran down the street

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper and Prue met again at the bottom the stairs after checking all the windows. Prue glanced at Piper and reached for the phone on the end table.

"I'm calling the cops," she explained while Piper reached out to stop Prue.

"And tell them what? That we're witches? That some freak with powers beyond comprehension is trying to kill us? Even if the cops did come, they'd be no match for Jeremy and we'd be next," Piper spoke rationally.

Before they could argue more about it, Phoebe and Paige appeared at the top of the stairs. "I found the answer. It's our only hope." Phoebe called, disappearing back up the stairs. Seeing Prue and Piper's hesitance Paige ran down the stairs to grab both their hands.

"Come on," she insisted and they followed Phoebe up the stairs to the attic.

When the other three finally made it in, Phoebe already had everything set up. A low table sat in the middle with a pot, ingredients, and the Book of Shadows opened to a certain page. There were candles set up in a circle around it. Phoebe was getting the last few needed objects from the trunk and Paige pulled Prue and Piper into the circle where they sat down. Prue and Piper cast a nervous glance toward each other as Phoebe came back and joined them. Prue, Piper, and Paige skimmed over the ritual they were about to perform and looked to make sure they had everything.

"Alright, so we've placed the nine candles anointed with oil and spices in a circle," Prue observed, looking around them.

"Wait, I only count eight," Piper interrupted, counting and recounting.

"Oh, you forgot this one!" Paige argued while holding up a small birthday candle for them to see.

"A birthday candle?" Piper asked in disbelief. Prue almost laughed at her tone of voice, and Phoebe took the candle from Paige and lit it.

"I guess Grams was a little low on witch supplies," Phoebe offered.

"Okay, next we need the poppet," Prue continued, looking from sister to sister.

"Got it," Piper called and reached down beside her to pull it up. She sat it in front of her on the table. Phoebe placed the lit birthday candle into the pot.

Prue exchanged a look with Paige and both nodded to each other in silent agreement that everything was ready. "Right, we're set. Get ready to cast the spell," Prue ordered changing positions.

"First, I'll make it stronger," Piper interrupted and took a rose that Paige was offering her and placed it on top of the poppet. "Your love will wither and depart from my life and my heart. Let me be, Jeremy, and go away forever," she chanted and pressed the rose into the poppet before placing it into the pot. "Alright, the spell's complete."

"Let's just hope it works…" Paige whispered as the rose and poppet began to smoke. The smoke rolled over the sides of the pot to fill the attic, all four sisters watched intently in silence. Suddenly, it exploded, catching on fire.

~PO4~

Jeremy, who was running down the street toward the Halliwell Manor stopped and screamed in pain. He began writhing in agony as hundreds of thorns tore through his skin.

~PO4~

The sisters were cleaning up the stuff for the ritual when Phoebe picked up the pot and was thrown into a premonition.

Jeremy is writhing in pain, holding on tightly to a chain link fence. But he shakes it off and continues down the road.

Phoebe stood up frantically. "Wait… It didn't work," she yelled after them.

Prue, Piper, and Paige turned back to face Phoebe looking confused. "Huh?" Paige asked softly.

"The spell, it didn't work," Phoebe clarified

"How do you know?" Piper asked, grabbing tightly onto Prue's arm.

"When I touched the pot, I had a flash. I saw Jeremy," she explained.

"You touched the pot and you saw him?" Prue asked in surprise.

"He's on his way here," Phoebe finished running towards them.

Identical fear flashed across all four of their faces before Prue pushed out of the attic, pulling Piper along with her. The other two close behind. They all ran to door and Prue reached out and opened it. "Come on," she called, not realizing immediately that Jeremy was already here. Piper froze and tightened her grip on Prue while Phoebe and Paige jumped back and screamed. Prue spun around to face Jeremy, placing herself slightly in front of Piper, Phoebe, and Paige.

"Hello, ladies," Jeremy greeted stepping into the Manor and twirling his knife threateningly in front of them.

They slowly back away toward the stairs and Prue used her power to send him flying back into the wall. "Piper, Phoebe, Paige. Get out of here now!" she ordered while he was distracted. She felt Phoebe and Paige turn and run toward the stairs. Jeremy, recovering quickly, threw his knife toward the departing two sisters. Paige screamed as the knife flew toward her and as it was about to hit her she disappeared in the swirl of blue and white lights, the knife flying harmlessly through her. She reappeared and Phoebe pulled her quickly up the stairs. Jeremy shrugged unfazed and turned to the remaining two sisters. "Piper… Leave," Prue repeated, thinking her sister had frozen up, but she felt Piper tighten  
her grip.

"I'm not leaving you…" she whispered and they had no more time to argue as Jeremy advanced toward them again.

"Cool parlor trick, bitch. You always were the tough one weren't you, Prue?" he taunted casually.

Prue squinted her eyes again and he was sent flying into the wall for a second time. While he was recovering, Prue and Piper spun around and ran up the stairs to regroup in the attic. As they ran into the attic Prue tried to lighten the mood at least a little. "Phoebe, you're right. Our powers are growing," she agreed turning to help Piper push furniture up against the door.

"Put as many things against the door as we can," Piper directed, while her and Prue pushed a heavy dresser against it. Paige grabbed a chair and sat it on top before they all backed as far away as possible. Prue and Piper in front of Phoebe and Paige, but Prue slightly in front of Piper.

From outside the door they could hear Jeremy's taunting voice echo through. "Can't take me now, Prue. My powers are stronger than yours" His voice deepening into the demonic tone, followed by a laugh. "Do you think a chair will stop me?" he asked as the chair flew away from the door. "Do you think a dresser will stop me?" The dresser slid away from the door to slam against the wall. "Haven't you witches figured it out? Nothing… nothing will keep us away."

Piper glanced at Prue in fear. "What do we do? We're trapped!" she shouted in panic.

Before Prue could say anything the door exploded and all four sisters screamed and jumped back more. Prue grabbed Piper's hand in one and grabbed Phoebe's in the other.

"Come on… We'll face him together. Do you remember the spirit board?" she insisted.

Piper, catching on, grabbed Paige's in her other hand. "The inscription on the back…" Piper realized and glanced at Paige who nodded.

"The Power of Four, Forevermore," Prue yelled as a circle of fire surrounded them. "Come on. We have to say it together," she ordered and turned back to face Jeremy.

"The Power of Four, Forevermore," They all chanted over and over as the circle of fire turned into a strong wind.

"I am not the only one! I am one of millions! In places you can't even imagine! In forms you would never believe! We are hell on this earth. And you will never be… Free!" he shouted and blew up as the sisters chanted one last time.

Silence fell over the attic and was only broken when Prue glanced back at them smiling slightly. "The Power of Four," she whispered, allowing herself to relax.

~PO4~

The next morning, Prue exited the Manor and reached down for the paper on their steps. As she stood back up she heard a familiar voice call.

"Good Morning," she looked up to find Andy getting out of his car, holding a cup of coffee and a newspaper of his own.

Prue smiled and walked down the remaining steps toward him. "Hey! This is a surprise," Prue greeted cheerfully.

"I've been feeling really guilty about that bad cup of coffee. I just wanted to make it up to you," Andy explained, closing what was left of the distance between them.

"So, you brought me a good cup of coffee?" Prue guessed, eyeing the cup in his hand.

He followed her gaze down to the cup. "Oh, this? No, this is mine," he clarified and then began to look slightly nervous. "I, uh, just wanted to ask you out to dinner. Unless of course, you're afraid," Andy added, watching her closely.  
Prue blushed ever-so-slightly and bit her lip nervously. "Afraid of what?" She asked.

"Oh, you know, having too good a time, stirring up old memories, rekindling an old flame," he joked casually.

Prue nodded slightly as he spoke as if she agreed. "Hmm…Good point. Better not," Prue replied, going along with the joke.

"Okay," Andy responded and then continued unfazed. "Friday night; 8 o'clock?" His smile faded when she didn't immediately reply. "You hesitated," he observed.

"Yeah, but it's not what you think," she spoke up hastily. "It's just that my life has gotten a bit complicated…" she tried to explain cryptically. She was silent for a moment before finishing. "Can I call you?"

"Sure," Andy agreed as he pulled one of his business cards out of his pocket and handed it to her. She smiled gratefully and took it. Andy glanced at his watch and saw he needed to head on to work. "Take care, Prue," he called softly, turning to leave.

"Bye, Andy," she echoed and then looked back as the door to the Manor opened and her three sisters came running out, Piper in the lead.

"I told you I heard a man's voice," Piper spoke in an I-told-you-so voice. The three other sisters joined Prue as Andy reached his car. He looked up and narrowed his eyes in surprise upon seeing Phoebe holding the white cat he'd seen in that murdered woman's apartment. He just shrugged to himself and headed to work.

"It's Andy!" Phoebe exclaimed in surprise, looking from Prue to Andy and back again.

"What did he want?" Paige asked excitedly. Prue smiled wider, but she hesitated.

"He asked her out!" Piper announced, giving Prue a teasing look. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige glanced at Piper in surprise.

"I didn't say that…" Prue stammered crossing her arms. Piper smiled knowingly and Phoebe and Paige jumped Prue for details.

"Is it true? What did you say?" Phoebe demanded grinning.

"Well… I started to say yes. And then I stopped. I wondered if I could date. I mean do witches date?" Prue asked uncertainly.

"Not only do they date, but they usually get the best guys…" Piper teased while Paige burst into giggles.

Prue glared at them and rolled her eyes. "You three will not be laughing when this happens to you. Believe me, everything will be different now," Prue scolded, turning to head back into the house.

"Well, at least our lives won't be boring," Phoebe pointed out, ever the optimist.

"But they'll never be the same…" Prue reminded them.

"And this is a bad thing?" Phoebe countered.

"No… but it could be a big problem," Piper spoke Prue's thoughts.

"Piper, is right… what are we going to do?" Paige wondered aloud following the rest of her sisters toward the front door.

"What can't we do?" Phoebe retorted while stroking the cat she held softly.

"We're going to be careful, we're going to be wise, and we're going to stick together," Prue cautioned.

"This should be interesting" Piper remarked, walking into the house followed closely by Phoebe, Paige, and finally Prue. Prue looked back at the door about to close it when she smiled mischievously. Instead, she flicked her hand and it magically swung shut.


	3. I've Got You Under My Skin Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for your kudos !! I hope you like this chapter.

Quake

In Quake, Phoebe pushed through the crowd heading to the bar where Paige was sitting and drinking a soda. Paige looked up and waved her over. Phoebe nodded and almost ran into a couple entering the restaurant because she had been focusing on Paige instead of her surroundings.

"Oops… Sorry," Phoebe apologized and the couple smiled at her as they walked by.

Once through the main crowd, Piper intercepted her looking frustrated and nervous. "I'm gonna kill him," Piper muttered, throwing her hands up dramatically. She grabbed a bill folder off a table and walked toward the cash register and Paige.

"Who?" Phoebe asked, glancing around in confusion before she followed Piper.

"Chef Moore. He with the phony accent hires me and then quits to open his own place. Thank you very much," Piper ranted going behind the cash register as Phoebe took a seat next to Paige.

"She's been talking about nothing but him since I got here," Paige whispered under her breath as a warning to Phoebe.

Phoebe nodded slightly to show she heard and watched Piper swipe the card that she pulled out of the bill folder. "I don't see any customers complaining," Phoebe pointed out as a compliment to her stressed older sister.

"Hello! I am not a restaurant tour. I am a chef. I have no idea what I'm doing!" she hissed and then looked at Paige pleadingly. "Can you take this back to number four?" Piper asked Paige, placing a receipt in the bill folder and passing it to the youngest Halliwell.

"Sure sis." Paige agreed, taking it and disappearing back into the crowd.

Piper suddenly narrowed her eyes at Phoebe. "Are you wearing my dress?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

Before Phoebe could answer another young woman with curly blonde hair walked up and took Paige's seat. "Hey, Britney! Ooh. I love the tattoo," Phoebe complimented, taking Britney's hand to get a better look at the angel tattooed on the back.

"Oh, thanks," Britney acknowledged, waving at Piper with her other hand.

"I thought it was illegal to get them on your hand because of the veins," Phoebe stated.

"In the States, yeah, I got it done in Tahiti," she explained, handing Piper some cash. "Oh keep the change Piper. I gotta jam," she added cheerfully.

Phoebe waved farewell and Piper nodded. "Okay. Say hi to Max," Piper wished as Britney retreated.

Paige came back up, looking disgruntled. "I don't see how you work here, Piper. These people are so rude!" she complained, dropping heavily back down in her seat.

Piper waved over a waitress and handed another bill folder to her. "Table nine please," Piper instructed and the waitress left. She took a deep breath and turned to Paige. "Should I beat anyone up?" she asked. Paige shook her head and Piper looked relieved. "Good. I don't think I have time," Piper added jokingly before glancing over Phoebe again. "So back to my dress…"

Phoebe wasn't listening as she looked to her right at a handsome man sitting alone at the table. She was immediately thrown into a premonition. Alec stood up and approached Phoebe, sitting down beside her and offering to buy her a martini. Phoebe grinned to herself and got the attention of her two sisters. "See that poster boy to your left Piper? Paige your right?" she asked. Piper looked to her left while Paige looked around Phoebe to get a better view of him. "Just glance… don't be obvious," she snapped softly.

Both sisters immediately looked away as casually as they could. "Yep…" Paige murmured a small smile crossing her features.

Piper nodded slightly. "I approve. Who is he?" she asked, glancing again back at him.

"His name is Alec and he's about to come over and ask if he could buy me a martini," Phoebe replied eagerly.

"How do you know that?" Paige asked, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"Let's just say I've solved the age old problem of who approaches whom first… I had a little premonition," she gloated, running a hand through her hair self-consciously as she awaited her foreseen meeting with Alec.

"What? Phoebe! You're not supposed to use your powers. We agreed," Piper hissed, crossing her arms. Paige smirked and took another sip from her soda, keeping neutral.

"No… you and Prue agreed. I abstained and Paige dodged. Besides, it's not like I can control it. It just popped into my head," Phoebe countered defensively.

"That's the point! None of us can control our powers. That's what scares me. I could panic and freeze the entire restaurant," Piper replied, throwing her hands up pointedly.

"Look, Piper, It's not that big of a deal. Phoebe's just having a little fun," Paige added while Phoebe looked at Paige in surprise before catching sight of Alec getting up.

"Shhh… here he comes," she hissed, trying to act casual. Piper and Paige sent one last glare at one another before Piper went back to play with the cash register and Paige took another sip of her soda. 

Alec approached and waved at Piper and Paige before getting Phoebe's attention. "Hey, I was just sitting over there and was wondering if I could buy you a martini or something," he offered hopefully.

Phoebe smiled seductively and glanced at Piper and Paige knowingly. "Martini hmm? Imagine that. I would love one," she agreed, getting to her feet. "It's Alec right?" Phoebe asked, feigning ignorance. Piper and Paige exchanged a glance and turned away.

"Yeah, how'd you know my name?" Alec asked in surprise.

"Wild guess," Phoebe got to her feet and lightly pushed Alec toward the table he had been sitting at. Before she left she turned one last time to her two sisters.

Piper glanced over and grabbed her hand making her listen. "Prue is going to be pissed," she warned and Phoebe shrugged it off.

"News flash… stop worrying, you'll get wrinkles," Phoebe retorted. "Both of you," She added as an afterthought with a glance towards Paige.

"Who said I was worrying?" Paige muttered indignantly and crossed her arms.

~PO4~

Outside Quake, Britney walked out to her car. She turned it on and adjusted her rearview mirror so she could touch up her make-up. After a moment, she adjusted it back and saw someone's eyes staring from the back of her car. She spun around in fear and screamed as he grabbed hold of her.

~PO4~

Andy's Apartment

Prue carefully slipped out from under Andy's arm and silently reached for an old sweater that she slipped on. She tiptoed around the bed to grab some of her clothes and glanced up at a sleeping Andy. She bit her lip uncertainly but continued to gather her things. Carrying her high heeled shoes in one hand and a dark blue dress in the other, she headed for the door of his bedroom and beyond that the door to his apartment. As Prue reached the door of his bedroom, she froze as Andy groaned softly and switched positions. Again she glanced back uncertainly, but, nevertheless, continued toward the door. She hadn't gone another step when Andy's alarm clock started beeping loudly. Damn. She thought and frantically narrowed her eyes at the device and sent it flying out the window. Without further ado she left as quickly as she could without making any noise. Behind her, Andy reached out to turn off his alarm clock only to land on the end table. A moment later, the door of his apartment could be heard being shut, the sound echoing through the silent apartment. Andy sat up in bed quickly realizing that she was gone.

"Prue?" he called out although he knew she had already left. With a deep sigh, he grabbed his pillow and lay against it to think before getting ready for work.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Later that morning, Piper was in the kitchen watching a documentary about witches during the Salem Witch Trial while whisking some eggs for breakfast. As she watched, Prue walked from the conservatory and glanced at the T.V. in surprise while opening the refrigerator.

"Morning," Prue greeted and Piper echoed while hurriedly grabbing for the remote and switching off the T.V. "What are you watching?" she asked curiously as she pulled the milk out and sat it on the counter.

"Nothing… just a show," Piper answered hastily, somewhat embarrassed to be seen watching the documentary.

"About witches? Are you worried we're going to be burned at the stake?" Prue asked teasingly, smiling softly.

Piper forced a laugh and tried to look nonchalant though it didn't fool Prue. "Yeah right…" she offered anyway and then switched the topic to Prue. "By the way, Andy called."

Prue suddenly looked nervous. "When?" she asked carefully while pouring herself a glass of milk.

"While you were in the shower," Piper answered.

Prue sat the milk down on the counter slightly harder than necessary. "What did you tell him?" she demanded, glaring at her sister.

Piper appeared taken aback by Prue's attitude. "That you were in the shower," she replied, as if it was obvious, which it was. Prue nodded awkwardly, appearing relieved. Piper smirked as she tried to analyze Prue's unusual attitude. "Bad date?" she questioned, watching her elder sister carefully for a hint of a lie.

"No… No, No, not at all. It was great. You know. Dinner, Movie…" Prue protested and then trailed off, biting her lip to keep herself from saying it.

Piper, however, didn't need Prue to speak it to know what had transpired. Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. "You slept with him? On your first date? You sleaze…" Piper responded loudly in surprise.

Prue flinched as Piper spoke it aloud, praying that the two youngest sisters hadn't heard. "Piper… if you're going to read my thoughts, can you at least keep them to yourself please?" Prue pleaded. "Besides… it wasn't exactly our first date," she added half-hopefully.

Piper nodded to the first but rolled her eyes at the second. "Okay, but high school doesn't count. That was last decade," she retorted. "Spill," she prodded eagerly. Prue cast her a frustrated glance while she grabbed her cup of milk and walked out of the kitchen. "Ooh… that bad?" she asked, following.

"No, that good. It was… well we were amazing, but that's not the point. I told myself things would be different. That we would take it slow. It just shouldn't have happened, that's all," Prue tried to explain but it was difficult because of the conflicting emotions. Piper glanced at her in sympathy but before she could respond Paige and Phoebe came walking down the stairs to join the conversation.

"What shouldn't have happened?" Phoebe asked curiously.

"Prue slept with Andy," Piper filled them in quickly without turning to look at them.

"Really?" Paige piped up, looking surprised.

"Way to go sis!" Phoebe added as if she thought it was a sign of the apocalypse or something.

Prue could have slammed her head against the wall in frustration. "Thanks a lot, mouth," she muttered, picking up the newspaper from the end table.

"Wait. You were going to tell her, but not us? Family meeting!" Phoebe replied acting hurt.

"I wasn't going to tell anyone anything. Unfortunately, she doesn't need me to tell her to know," Prue countered, pointing at Piper in an accusatory fashion.

"Well, I don't know how you were planning on keeping that big of a secret in this house…" Paige stated with a shrug.

Prue hastily changed the subject. "Speaking of last night. What time did you end up rolling in?" she demanded, glancing at Phoebe.

Phoebe glared at her and shook her head. "No, no, no, no. Do not change the subject," Phoebe argued, following Prue as she turned to sit down in the solarium.

"Don't dodge the question," Prue shot back sitting her milk and newspaper on a table and sitting down.

"It must have been at least after three. Right Paigey?" Piper spoke up, enjoying her role in this conversation. Paige grinned and nodded in confirmation.

"I must still be in New York time," Phoebe offered defensively.

"Actually that would make it later…" Prue returned, smiling at her sisters' lie.

"Or maybe you and Alec…." Piper brought up glancing at Phoebe slyly.

Paige glanced at Prue who looked confused a moment and jumped to explain. "Alec is the…" she began, but Prue interrupted.

"…The hottie that she hit on at the restaurant. I know," Prue replied and smiled at Paige gratefully who was giving her a disconcerted look.

Phoebe glared at Piper who just shrugged and smiled innocently. "Excuse me. Where vision is history, he hit on me. Remember the whole vision thing," Phoebe pointed out calmly.

"Vision thing?" Prue asked in annoyance and glanced at Piper in confirmation. She let out a deep sigh. "Phoebe…" She began. Paige glanced at Piper and Piper shook her head.

"Don't put me in the middle…" Piper protested.

"Technically we're not. You were born in the middle," Paige responded cheekily, flashing her own innocent smile. Piper narrowed her eyes at Paige but decided to let her smart ass comment go in the face of the argument arising between Prue and Phoebe.

"Look, Phoebe. I thought we agreed," Prue finally finished, ignoring Piper and Paige for the time being.

"No… we didn't. You and Piper agreed. There's a difference," Phoebe clarified, rolling her eyes.

"Our powers are not toys… We have to be careful. They could get us killed," Prue elaborated, trying to make Phoebe understand.

"Yeah, we don't want any more warlocks finding us," Piper added, shuddering slightly at the fearful encounter with Jeremy. Phoebe sighed in aggravation.

"Well, how are we ever going to learn to control them if we don't use them? Besides, the warlocks are going to find us anyways. And if we can't work our powers correctly we're going to get killed," Paige argued, voicing her support for Phoebe for the first time. Prue glared disapprovingly at the youngest Halliwell while Piper bit her lip and cast Prue an 'I warned you' glance which Prue stubbornly ignored.

"Look, it was just a lousy premonition, that's all. Nobody died. Besides you two can't control your powers any better than I can," she accused bringing the attention back to herself and then added "And F.Y.I. nothing happened last." She glanced at Prue pointedly. "At least nothing I'm ashamed of." With that she turned to walk away, but Prue stopped her.

"There's another reason we have to be careful. Andy thinks there's someone abducting women in our area," she warned carefully, looking from Piper to Paige and finally to Phoebe.

"Abducting women?" Paige asked with a hint of worry in her voice.

"Yes. And it means that warlocks aren't the only evil we have to watch out for," Prue explained, looking down at her cup for a moment before fixing Phoebe with a confident stare.

"And F.Y.I. I'm not ashamed of anything," Phoebe nodded in understanding, smiling slightly before she left back to her room.

Paige looked down at her watch checking the time. "Hey, Prue, can you give me a ride to work on the way to your interview? Piper's borrowing my car," she asked, fixing her large brown eyes on Prue pleadingly. Prue smiled and nodded, getting up from the table while Piper retreated back to the kitchen.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

In the San Francisco P.D. Andy was looking at a photo of Britney as Max explained that she was missing. Darryl was pacing down the small hall and took the photo from Andy as he walked by.

"She didn't come home at all last night. That's not like Britney, believe me," Max finished, looking worried as Darryl brought the picture back to him.

"Tell me, Max. What time did she leave to go to Quake?" Darryl asked.

"8:30. She called around 10:00, said she was on her way home, but I'm really worried," Max replied as Andy fiddled with a pen, thinking of the similarities between Britney and some of the other women that had been called in missing.

"Chances are she'll show up. They usually do. The best thing to do right now is go home in case she calls, alright? Will you do that?" Andy spoke up calmly while getting to his feet.

"Yeah. Thanks," Max agreed, nodding his head and shaking Andy's outstretched hand before turning to leave.

As Max left, Andy walked out from behind his desk to join Morris, carrying his cup of coffee. "That's the fourth one this week," Andy pointed out.

"Yeah, well they can't just be disappearing into thin air," Morris responded and then looked closer at Andy. "Did you do something to your hair?"

Andy glanced over at him, but took a sip of coffee in order to have an excuse not to answer that last question. "At least we've narrowed down his feeding pool to the area around the restaurant," he offered in a more positive tone.

Darryl grinned and pushed past Andy. "Well, better tell your sweetie to lock the door at night," he advised, leaving Andy to stare after him with a look of agitation.

~PO4~

The Church

Piper pulled up beside the nearest church in Paige's car. She looked up at the main entrance debating whether she should enter or not. Normally she wouldn't have hesitated a moment, but since watching that documentary on witches that morning she had her doubts whether they were good or evil. As she pondered the idea a man walked up to the passenger's side window and knocked gently. Piper jumped at the unexpected sound as the man bent down to talk with her through her rolled down window.

"Ooh. Pastor Williams, you scared me…" she admitted putting her hand over her heart as she took a deep breath to calm it down.

"Sorry," he apologized with a slight. "Aren't you a little early?" Pastor Williams added. Piper frowned in confusion, obviously trying to think of what he was talking about. He seemed to notice because he elaborated. "Dropping off the unused food from your restaurant. I thought you weren't coming by until this afternoon."

Comprehension dawned on her face as she jumped to explain. "Yeah, I am. I'm coming back later… with everything," she replied awkwardly, nodding to herself.

"Great… So what are you doing here now?" he asked.

"Nothing really… just thinking…." Piper answered cryptically.

"About?" Pastor Williams prodded carefully.

Piper bit her lip uncertainly and answered reluctantly. "Mary Estee…"

"Who?" he asked in confusion.

Piper rolled her eyes, inwardly kicking herself. "It's just a stupid documentary I saw," she explained hastily and then laughed trying to act casual as she changed positions to better look at Pastor Williams. "By the way, is it true that evil beings can't go into a church without being…?" Piper trailed off and made a motion with her hands symbolizing being hit by lightning.

Pastor Williams laughed and Piper awkwardly joined in. "Evil beings? Like what? Vampires?" he suggested.

"Vampires, uh no. I was thinking more along the line of… witches," Piper corrected casually though listening to his every word intently.

"Witches huh?" Pastor Williams paused seeming to think about it for a moment. "Let me put it to you this way. I sure wouldn't want to risk it," Piper frowned but nodded slightly. "I gotta go. See you later?"

"Yeah, right, absolutely," she replied, being pulled back from her train of thought. Pastor Williams walked away leaving Piper to look back toward the entrance to the church. She narrowed her eyes in determination and pushed the door open. She slowly approached the church door, outstretching her hand for the handle. Just before she closed her hand around it a crack of thunder rumbled in the distance and she jumped away in fear before hastily returning to Paige's car.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue jumped out of her car and promptly grabbed all the papers for her interview and her purse before taking off across the parking lot. There had been more traffic than she had anticipated, driving from Social Services to Bucklands Auction House. She raced toward the elevator that had just begun to close.

"Hold the door," she called, praying that someone would stop it from closing since she couldn't miss that elevator. Prue squeezed through at the last minute, but her purse hit the door and slipped from her arm, spilling the contents on the floor. "Damn it!" she muttered, bending down to pick it all up. "Can you push twelve, please," she pleaded to the man closest to the numbers.

He did so and bent down to help her. "Here, let me help," he offered, picking up some of her papers and looking at them curiously. "Eighteenth Century French Art? Do you work at the Auction House upstairs?" he asked, sounding impressed as Prue grabbed her last piece of merchandise off the floor and stood up.

"No… just interviewing," Prue explained and added as an afterthought. "If I ever get there in time. Don't let me get my King Louis' mixed up." She carefully took all the papers from him and silence fell across the elevator. She glanced up to see the floor they were on and saw they had just reached three. She let out an impatient sigh as she looked at the time on her watch. Prue vaguely realized that she was the only woman on the elevator, but the ringing of her phone caught her attention. She flashed an apologetic look at the men in the elevator as they all turned to look at her, but answered her phone anyways. "Hello?" she answered, expecting to hear the voice of one of her sisters wanting  
something. Her eyes widened as she recognized Andy's voice on the other end. "Uh, Andy, how did you get this number?" Prue demanded softly, turning away slightly.

On the other line Andy was sitting on the edge of his desk at the police station, using his work phone. "I'm a detective remember?" he countered lightly. "Prue, I think we should talk," he added in a more serious tone.

Prue inwardly flinched. "Yeah, it's just that I'm really late for this interview," she tried to procrastinate… at least until she was out of the elevator.

"I didn't mean for what happened last night to happen, Prue, you have to know that," Andy continued, ignoring her excuse. Prue glanced nervously around the elevator. She was not going talk about this now. She desperately changed the subject… maybe he'd realize that this wasn't a good time.

"Of course I'm, you know, totally wrong for it anyway, stuffy old auction house. Don't know why they even called." The man next to her glanced her way, but she ignored it.

"Come on, Prue. Listen to me. We've known each other a long time now. We just couldn't help ourselves. It's nothing to be ashamed of," Andy insisted.

As he spoke, Prue began to grow frustrated as several more men entered the elevator on floor five. They pushed every floor between seven and twelve. It became obvious she wasn't going to get out of here before speaking to Andy. "I know Andy…" she replied, desperately trying to keep her voice down.

"All we did was make love…"

"I know, Andy," Prue snapped, clenching her phone in aggravation.

"Well, talk to me. Help me out here, Prue. Why did you sneak out like that?" he asked.

Prue narrowed her eyes indignantly. "I did not sneak…. Out…." she replied, lowering her voice at the end as she reminded herself she was in an elevator. "Right, you were asleep, I didn't want to wake you," She lied in desperation. There was silence on the other end so she quickly added. "And I did write you a note… I just didn't leave it." The service on the phone began to break up causing Prue to panic. "Hello? Hello?" Andy and her both hung up, irritated. Prue sighed loudly and threw her phone back in her bag. As she looked up she noticed all the men looking at her. They quickly looked away, clearing their throats. She glanced up to see what floor they were on again only to find they were stopping on floor seven. Prue glared at the door that was beginning to open, forcing it to close shut, causing a ruckus within the elevator as a man needed to get off. Ignoring him, she narrowed her eyes on the level twelve light and the elevator skipped every floor between seven and twelve. She smirked to herself as all the men hit on the elevator door as if it would open up. On floor twelve the elevator stopped, opening up as normal.

"That was strange… Lucky you huh?" the man next to her commented with a glance over at her.

Prue walked quickly out of the elevator muttering. "Yeah, I'm charmed alright."

~PO4~

Quake

Phoebe pushed through the crowded restaurant to reach the bar. She handed a bill folder to a young couple.

"Here you go," she spoke, handing it to the man who reached out for it.

"Thank you," he responded gratefully.

Phoebe smiled and turned to leave before doing a double take in disbelief. "Excuse me, but aren't you Stefan?" Phoebe asked, approaching slowly.

Stefan glanced back up at her, smiling. "Yes… I'm sorry, but do we know each other?" he questioned, looking at her curiously.

Phoebe took several deep breaths to calm herself. "Oh, highly doubtful. I'm just familiar with your work. Like everyone else in the world," she admitted, glancing awkwardly back at his date who had been silent.

"Well, I don't know about that, but I'll always take a compliment from a gorgeous woman," Stefan replied, flashing a charming smile that made Phoebe look back toward the woman he was sitting with.

"I'm sure your girlfriend must appreciate that…" Phoebe answered, trying to judge her reaction.

Stefan leaned closer to Phoebe. "She's not my girlfriend," he whispered pointedly.

"Then why are you whispering?" Phoebe whispered back flirtatiously.

The woman frowned in anger and jumped up from the bar. "Excuse me," she hissed, pushing between Phoebe and Stefan and causing Phoebe to step back.

"Oh… oh, okay," Phoebe murmured, putting her hands up dramatically in innocence. Stefan turned around to watch her leave and Phoebe stepped back forward. "Well, it was very nice to meet you," she offered beginning to turn away.

"You too…" Stefan agreed and then reached out to stop her from leaving. "Listen. I'm in town for a couple days doing a Porsche shoot. If you're interested, stop by. I'd love to photograph you. You do model, don't you?" Stefan took out a pen and wrote his address on a napkin in front of him and gave it to Phoebe.

Phoebe stared in surprise and gingerly reached out to take it. "In my dreams… yeah," she admitted and then glanced down at the napkin excitedly before turning away. As she was still staring at the napkin Piper ran up and grabbed her hands, effectively gaining her attention.

"A driver has called in sick. Can you do a quick delivery?" Piper pleaded desperately.

"Sure," Phoebe agreed, taking a step back from her sister, but she couldn't resist telling Piper about Stefan. "Is that guy at the bar staring at me?" she began.

Piper cast a quick glance to the bar behind her. "A lot of guys at the bar are staring at you," Piper agreed hastily.

"The one at the far end. Tall, dark, brooding, very New York," Phoebe described Stefan.

Piper glanced over again for a split moment. "Sorry, no," she answered and dashed off back to work. Phoebe looked back where Stefan had been to find him gone. Her gaze flickered back to the napkin with his address on it and she smiled.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue advanced toward the woman sitting behind the Secretary's desk, trying to let her frustration go before doing the job interview. The young woman looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps and looked at Prue expectantly.

"Hello, I'm Prudence Halliwell. I'm here for a job interview," she explained.

The woman smiled and motioned for her follow. She led Prue toward an office door just down the hall. "He's seen your resume and he's very impressed, but I've got to tell you, he's already blown out six other applicants," she warned, traversing them around the ladders and workers painting.

"I still don't know why he's interested. I never even applied," Prue answered sounding curious. She looked toward the Secretary for an answer.

"He likes what you did at the museum, even though your ex-boss trashed you," the secretary elaborated. "I mean, what's Roger got against you anyway?"

Prue frowned slightly as the question was turned toward Roger. "Hard to say. Unless shattering his ego counts for something. He's also my ex-fiancé," Prue replied quickly. They had now come to stop outside the door to the office Prue assumed was the boss's.

The secretary laughed softly. "I got it…. Ready?" she asked, reaching out for the door handle.

Prue nodded slightly. "Yeah," the secretary opened the door and preceded Prue into the room.

"Rex Buckland, this is Prue Halliwell, interviewing for the new specialist," she announced. Prue walked in to find the man next to her in the elevator standing in front of the desk.

Her smile turned to a slight frown and she bit her lip slightly, suddenly a little nervous as Rex looked her over quickly.

"Actually, we've already met… Welcome to my stuffy old auction house," he greeted sarcastically. He walked forward to shake hands with her. Prue cleared her throat softly, trying to appear nonchalant. Can nothing go right today? Prue wondered.

~PO4~

Stefan's Photography Place

In the middle of a large studio room the previously mentioned woman at Quake with Stefan was bound tightly by the hands and legs to the short table. An old demon walked toward her carrying a black candlestick. He placed it on an empty candle placement that was set up around the table in a ritualistic way.

"Please don't hurt me… Let me go! Please Stefan," the woman begged, the fear evident in her voice. She struggled to break the bonds that held her down but fell back in exhaustion. The demon stepped out of the shadows for the first time causing the woman to cringe away in fright. "Oh my God…" she whispered.

"It's Javna…" the demon corrected in a slow hissing voice as he stepped closer to her. His eyes turned red and bright ray beams shot out of them, hitting the woman in the face.

"Wait!" she screamed as she thrashed around on the table, trying to get loose or at least keep her eyes away from the ray beams. The demon ignored her and finally the woman grew old before his eyes while he grew young, into the form of Stefan. He picked up the mirror on an end table beside him and grinned. The woman lay still, seeming disoriented while Stefan's laughter rang through the empty studio.

~PO4~

South Bay Social Services

"Matthews! Where's that Hopkins case?" Mr. Cowan's voice boomed down the hallway.

Paige frantically skimmed over the information one last time before clicking 'print' on her computer. "Hey, Joyce. Can I use a paperclip?" Paige whispered, grabbing the papers immediately after the printer shot them out. Joyce, a fellow assistant that worked next to Paige, smiled faintly and tossed one to her just as Mr. Cowan reached her desk. "Right here, Sir," she replied, clipping them neatly together. Mr. Cowan took the papers and flipped through them surprised. 

"See, I told you I'd have it done," she couldn't resist pointing out and flashing him a mischievous smile.

Mr. Cowan gave her a curt nod. "Very good. Then you can drop these off with Angela," he ordered, dropping some more paperwork on her desk.

Paige sighed but agreed as her boss walked away. She relaxed back into her chair, taking a few moments to de-stress before getting back to work. Just as she reached for the paperwork her phone jingle cut through the silence. Paige glanced around to see if anyone was watching and was satisfied to see everyone focusing on their own load of paperwork. "Phone," she called softly and she grinned as it materialized into her hand. "Hello?" she asked into her phone.

Piper's voice answered her. "Hey, Paigey. Phoebe and I are making a quick delivery to the church. Do you want to come? We can get lunch afterwards," Piper offered.

Paige smiled at the invitation. She loved to visit the church, especially to catch up with Sister Agnes. Sister Agnes was the nun whom her parents had given her to as a baby when they couldn't keep her. She was a very nice and religious lady. She could make the visit as her lunch break. "Yeah, I'd love to. I just have to drop some paperwork off with a social worker first. Want me to meet you at the church?" she asked excitedly.

"Sure. We'll see you there," Piper agreed.

"Is Prue coming?" Paige wondered aloud. They hadn't really had much time to spend altogether lately and it would be nice to finally sit and chat. Just the four of them.

"No, she's still in that job interview," she explained sounding slightly disappointed. "And I daresay the bills are a bit more important than lunch," Piper joked, to lighten the mood again.

By this time some of Paige's fellow assistants flashed aggravated glances toward her and Paige blushed, mouthing an apology. She must have been talking louder than she had thought. "Okay, well I have to go drop these papers off. See you soon," Paige answered hurriedly. Piper said her farewells and both sisters hung up. Paige, appearing much happier by now, grabbed the stack of papers and approached the hallway leading to the offices of the social workers.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Rex invited Prue to make herself comfortable in the chair in front of his desk while he took all the papers from her and flipped through them.

"How many divisions did you correct?" he asked as he walked past her, heading towards his desk.

"Seven, including the colonist estate. It should be on my resume," Prue answered promptly, her eyes following his movements closely.

"Franklin Carlton. That's quite a coup," Rex commented, sounding impressed. He dropped the papers on his desk and sat down opposite Prue.

"Yes, well, I tend to be on the persistent side. I usually get what I want," Prue explained with a slight nod to him.

Rex offered a faint smile. "A no doubter," Rex agreed and then smiled slyly. "It's a shame though that you think you're… how did you put it in the elevator? Totally wrong for the job," Rex reminded her, casually leaning back in his chair for an answer.

Prue bit her lip ever so slightly and looked away for a split moment in aggravation. "That was a private phone conversation," she countered.

Rex shook his head, grinning. "Hardly," he retorted.

Prue looked away and reached down to grab her purse before standing up abruptly. "You called me, remember? Not the other way around," she returned, her voice clearly showing her irritation. There was a pause at which time she was deciding whether to let it go or to continue. "And while we're at it. I think it's incredibly unfair of you to eavesdrop on a private call and then misjudge me based on entirely what you thought you heard," Prue added, deciding on the latter.  
Rex looked away while she accused him and when she had finished ranting glanced back at her. 

"I apologize. It was unfair of me," he offered and then stood up and approached her. "I'm new to all of this," Rex explained waving his hand to show off the room. "I've only just taken over the house from my father so I'm very protective of it. But knowing that, what you did at the museum, attracting the younger market, it's totally consistent with what I want to do here," he paused for a moment sitting down on the edge of his desk. Prue glanced away, slightly embarrassed. "It's just that… when all these qualifications are signed, it's very important to me that whoever I hire, truly wants to be here," Rex continued, carefully watching Prue's reaction. Before she could respond there was a beep announcing the presence of the intercom. "Yeah?" he called, not taking his eyes off Prue.

"Excuse me, Mr. Buckland, but your next interview is waiting. Shall I reschedule him?" the secretary's voice filled the room.

"No, I think we're done here," he responded icily, picking up Prue's files and handing them to her.

She took them and shook his hand formally. "Well, thanks for your time," she replied, her voice slightly cold in return. He nodded and watched as Prue turned to leave. Just as she reached the door she hesitated and turned back around. "My area of expertise ranges from the Ming Dynasty to a Mark McGuire ricky baseball card. You name it- I can identify it. Now I may not have sought this job originally, but I do want it… And I'm definitely right for it," Prue finished confidently and then left without waiting for a response. Rex watched her leave pondering the possibilities.

~PO4~

The Church

Piper pulled Quake's catering van up to the church and parked just outside. Already several people were coming out of the church to help unload. Phoebe jumped out of the passenger side of the car carrying on the conversation that had been going on in the van.

"You'd think after last night Prue would be a lot mellower. I mean, how long had it been? Six months? And she's worse," Phoebe observed, walking around to the back of the van and opening it up.

Piper came up from the other side of the van carrying a clipboard and pen. Piper sighed as the conversation kept going and leaned back against the back door. "It's just so unPrue-like to have sex on the first date," she explained as a woman came up. Phoebe reached into the van and pulled out a tray that she handed to the woman. "Everything's changing since we've become… you know…" Piper continued, trailing off and giving the woman an annoyed glance before marking that tray off on her clipboard.

Phoebe grinned and turned back to the truck. "Come on, you've never had sex on the first date?" Phoebe asked sarcastically.

Piper looked up at her, appearing offended. "No… have you?" Piper asked, her eyes narrowing. There was silence in which Phoebe just grinned trying not to laugh. "Don't answer that…" she snapped, changing her mind.

Phoebe pulled another tray out of the truck and looked back up toward her big sister. "Well, it's not a regular thing. Of course, now that I'm a witch I'll be able to see if it will be any good or not before it actually…." Phoebe started and then trailed off as she noticed an elderly man waiting on the tray. She handed it to him and leaned casually against the van door. "Hi," she greeted, waving as the elderly man walked off.

Piper stared at her in disbelief. "What's the matter with you? Are you outta your mind?" she scolded.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and took out another tray. "Come on, it's not like he took me literally," Phoebe retorted while grabbing the last tray out of the van.

"You don't know that… he could of," Piper countered, checking off the trays on her clipboard as Phoebe handed the tray to another man. "I just think we need to be extra careful, in bed and out," she continued nodding to herself.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes in a studying manner. "Yeah, well, there's careful and then there's paranoid," she pointed out. "Do you want to talk about it?" Phoebe prodded gently.

Piper frowned and looked away. "Talk about what?" she asked with a hint of distress in her voice. Phoebe stared at her for a moment but before anything else could be said,

Paige's voice cut through the air causing both sisters to look up.

"Hey, Pipe! Pheebs!" Paige called, waving excitedly as she ran up to them. Piper smiled and waved before turning to close the back of the van.

Phoebe met Paige halfway. "Guess who I saw at Quake today?" Phoebe immediately ordered. She was nearly bursting with excitement about the meeting with Stefan and Paige was the only sister that would be remotely interested in him. Prue thought his photographs were amateurish at best and Piper didn't really know who he was, thus she couldn't appreciate the opportunity. Paige tilted her head quizzically as she slowed down and both she and Phoebe walked back to Piper. "Stefan! The photographer!" Phoebe answered, her voice a higher pitch from excitement.

Paige's eyes widened and she grinned. "Really? What was he like? Did he talk to you?" Paige demanded.

"Even better. I got his address. He wants to take pictures of me!" Phoebe gloated, pulling out the napkin with Stefan's address and showing it to Paige.

Paige took it from her and stared. "Oh my God. You have to let me come with you! I've never got to meet anyone famous before," she pleaded, taking Phoebe's hands to keep her attention. "I won't get in the way, I promise. I just want to see him," Paige continued, not taking her dark brown eyes off Phoebe.

Phoebe smiled and nodded in agreement as she took the napkin back. "I'm going tonight at eight. Don't be late or I'll leave you," she warned as Piper joined them after locking up the van.

Just as the elder sister joined them Pastor Williams approached. "Hey, Phoebe. I didn't know you were back in town," Pastor Williams called as he advanced.

"Hey!" Phoebe greeted as Pastor Williams pulled her into a friendly hug.

"Took a bite out of the big apple did you?" he joked, waving at Piper and Paige. Paige waved back awaiting her chance to speak with him while Piper stepped back, still frowning.

"Oh, I ate the worm." Phoebe went along with the joke and stepped back from him. She looked out toward a street store. "Hey, I'm going to go get some gum. Do you guys want anything?" she asked, looking at the group.

"No thanks," Paige and Pastor Williams replied at the same time, causing Paige to smile awkwardly while Piper just shook her head. As Phoebe departed Paige looked back to

Pastor Williams. "Is Sister Agnes open?" she asked.

Pastor Williams nodded. "She just got out of a prayer meeting, but she should be in the garden by now. If not you can wait for her there," he responded.

Paige thanked him and glanced toward Piper. "I'll be back. 'Kay sis?" she asked, looking a little worriedly at Piper.

Piper smiled slightly and approached Paige. "Stay out of the church," Piper whispered so Pastor Williams wouldn't hear. Paige stared at Piper in surprise but nodded. Prue had warned her Piper had watched that documentary on witches earlier that morning. After a moment of scrutinizing Piper's odd behavior, she left, leaving Pastor Williams with Piper.

Piper looked down at her clipboard, but looked up slightly as she felt his gaze on her. She inwardly debated saying something and finally she sighed and gave in. Pastor Williams stayed silent, waiting on her to speak. "Okay, here's the deal. I've got this friend. Has a little problem. Could be bad. Not quite sure what to tell her," Piper lay out the scenario as casually as she could.

"Do you want to go inside?" he asked politely, pointing toward the church. A flash of panic shot through Piper and she shook her head hastily.

"No…." she declined immediately, causing Pastor Williams to look at her curiously. "I mean, I've got to get going," Piper explained.

He nodded in understanding. "So what's the problem?" he pressed, listening closely.

Piper hesitated before taking a deep breath. "Well, she sorta thinks she might be a…. a witch," she elaborated, forcing an embarrassed laugh at the end.

"Witches again, huh?" Pastor Williams asked with a nod to himself. He turned and walked a few steps away and Piper followed nervously.

"Not a good thing is it?" Piper guessed, looking down at the ground.

"Certainly not a question I get every day," he admitted, thinking about his answer. "How well do you remember your Sunday School Lessons? Exodus 22:18. 'Though shall not suffer a witch to live,'" he quoted slowly.

Piper frowned, dreading his answer. "Meaning…?" she whispered despite already knowing what he was going to say.

"If you go by the old school? Put her to death… she's evil," Pastor Williams replied carefully. Piper flinched and looked away, despair threatening to overcome her façade. It took all of her self control to force a front and say farewell to Pastor Williams. She quickly returned to the shelter of the van.

~PO4~

The Church Garden

Paige pushed open the gate that led to the church garden and scoured the area for Sister Agnes. She saw a group of nuns talking and she approached, hoping to catch sight of her. As she approached Sister Agnes looked up and saw her. She hurried forward to meet Paige and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Paige. How have you been?" Sister Agnes greeted.

Paige smiled and glanced over at the group of curious nuns. "I'm great… I just… needed to ask you something," Paige explained cryptically. Her eyes again flickered to the group of nuns who were watching. Sister Agnes followed her gaze and nodded in understanding. She grabbed Paige's hand and pulled her to a more secluded spot of the garden.

"So, what is it? Not in trouble I hope…." she replied, suddenly looking a little worried.

"Oh no. I just…. I wanted to ask about my parents…" Paige answered slowly. She had never asked Sister Agnes much about her parents before. It was a painful topic that she was keen to avoid. Even her sisters avoided bringing it up much. They never liked to talk about their mother as it was painful for all of them. And their father was, in Paige's opinion, as bad as hers. Neither around… neither cared to be around. Now with this new revelation… Paige needed a few answers that she felt Sister Agnes may be able to provide her with. "You said that you met them right?" she asked, almost hoping Sister Agnes would say no. However, Sister Agnes nodded.

"I remember well. I was only a few years older than you are now when they came," Sister Agnes answered softly. "They came in a swirl of white and blue lights… with you in their arms," she elaborated.

Paige looked up in surprise. "Blue and white lights?" she asked, remembering her power. When teleporting she disappeared in a swirl of lights and when objects were brought to her they appeared in the same swirl of blue and white lights…

"Just like angels…" Sister Agnes added, smiling at the memory.

Paige nodded and finally asked the question she really needed to hear answered. "Did they…. Say why they gave me up?" Paige asked, trying hard to keep her voice from cracking.

"All they said was that you were in great danger and the only way to protect you was to give you up. They asked me to find you a good, safe home… and that your name begin with a 'P,'" she answered gently. Paige gave a slight nod. She couldn't help but wonder whether the danger had anything to do with their powers… the warlocks. "I know their pain must have been very real…" she offered, not wanting Paige to get the wrong idea about them.

"Thanks, Sister," Paige replied gratefully. "I've got to go…. Piper will be ready to leave soon," she added waving goodbye and hastily leaving the garden to head toward the Quake van.

Outside Store

Phoebe walked up to the booth and grabbed some gum and a magazine off the rack. While she was reading the front page of the magazine she approached the man behind the cash register.

"Here you go," she called, getting the cashier's attention and handing him the stuff.

He looked at the price tags on the items and mentally calculated the amount. "$3.52," he replied.

As Phoebe was pulling her wallet out of her purse she caught the conversation of an elderly couple on the other side of the little store. "Should we use the grandchildren's birthdays?" An elderly man asked to his wife. They were both looking at a lottery ticket. The man looked up and caught Phoebe's eye. "Ten million dollar jackpot. Who knows… today may be our lucky day," he explained pulling his wife into a hug.

Phoebe smiled, but didn't appear hopeful. "Maybe," Phoebe agreed anyway.

"If not… we're gonna lose our house," the elderly man added. Phoebe looked down at the lottery tickets and picked one up. She was thrown into a premonition.

On a television she read the numbers for winning lottery ticket. 4, 16, 19,30,32,40.

"4, 16, 19, 30, 32, and 40… Those are the winning numbers," she whispered

"Yeah, right lady. Do you want this stuff or don't you?" the cashier asked her impatiently.

Phoebe ignored him and looked toward the elderly couple. "4, 16,19,30,32, and 40. Trust me mister, today is your lucky day," Phoebe continued. The old man looked questioningly at his wife, who nodded and he wrote down the numbers. 

Phoebe grinned as she suddenly had an idea. "I think I'll buy one of these lottery tickets too," she told the cashier, picking one up and handing it to him. She left the store and hurried back to the church where Paige and Piper were chatting beside the van.

"What are you smiling about?" Piper asked her suspiciously as she came up.

"Oh, nothing…" Phoebe lied casually.

Piper and Paige exchanged a disbelieving look, but just shrugged it off. "Well, we think we're just going to go eat at Quake. It's on my way back to the office. That cool?" Paige asked, though she didn't expect Phoebe to disagree.

"Yeah… Let's go," Phoebe agreed. There were several nice clothing stores along the same road. It would be easy to pick up something new and nice before meeting Stefan again…

"Scoot over, Pheebs. I need a place to sit. My taxi already left," Paige ordered lightly, pulling Phoebe out of her thoughts. As the sisters pulled out of the church parking lot, in the distance there was an old woman with a distinctive tattoo of an angel on her hand waiting in line for food.


	4. I've Got You Under My Skin Part 2

Darryl and Andy's Patrol Car

Outside of Quake, Andy and Darryl were staking out the popular restaurant for any sign of the kidnappers of the missing women. Darryl was looking through the pictures of the victims for the hundredth time and stopped on the picture of the latest victim. Britney, showing off the angel tattoo on her hand. He passed it over to Andy who looked over it and sighed in frustration.

"What do you want me to say? Something just doesn't feel right to me about this. I can't help it," Andy voiced again.

Darryl rolled his eyes and stretched as much as he could in the patrol car. "Here we go again," he muttered, making himself comfortable.

Andy ignored him and continued. "I mean, where are they alright? What's this guy doing with these poor women?" Andy asked aloud.

Darryl smirked and glanced toward his partner. "Thinking an alien abduction, are you?" Darryl joked, causing Andy to turn and glare at him.

"I'm serious, Morris," he insisted, looking back out the window.

Darryl frowned and shook his head. "I know. That's what scares me," he admitted and then smiled again. "Let me guess. Favorite movie growing up… Ghostbusters? Am I right?"

Andy didn't respond and Darryl sighed. "Look, we have a crazy, Trudeau. Likes the pretty ladies. That's it. The end. If he comes back looking for more, we're gonna grab him, tag him, make the world a safer place. Is that too hard to follow?"

Andy just nodded in agreement and Darryl looked out his window. "Evil Dead II," Andy suddenly replied and Darryl looked back at him in confusion. Andy grinned and explained.

"Favorite movie growing up. Just for the record."

Darryl smiled and Andy looked back out his window to catch sight of Prue getting out of her car and entering the restaurant. "The bank across the street. I think we should grab the ATM tapes and see if…" Darryl trailed off as he heard the door of the car open as Andy got out of the car. "Whoa… Whoa. Where are you going?" he asked. Andy pointed silently and Darryl began to shake his head. "No, no, forget it, Romeo. You're not blowing our cover."

"Come on, Morris, cut me some slack. I have to talk to her," he pleaded, glancing back behind him to where Prue had just disappeared. "Please, just five minutes. That's all I need," he added. Darryl rolled his eyes, but pointed at his watch silently saying he was keeping time. Andy grinned and set the timer on his watch.

~PO4~

Quake

Inside Quake, Prue traversed carefully through the crowded restaurant looking for Piper. She was about to head into the kitchen when Piper came running out ordering several workers to different duties.

"Come on Cindy, your salmon's up… Hector, way behind. We need clean plates," Piper ordered frantically before Prue reached out and grabbed Piper's hands, forcing her to look at her.

"You didn't give Andy my cell phone number by any chance, did you?" Prue asked, causing Piper to give her a confused look.

"No, why?" Piper replied, looking around at the restaurant in frustration. Prue shook her head and followed Piper as she walked toward the cash register. "Remind me, I wanted to do this for a living," she muttered.

"Well, it looks like you and Paige are going to be the only ones doing anything for a living. I think I blew my interview…" Prue admitted with a sigh.

Piper flashed her a semi-annoyed look. "I can't imagine it was less than stellar," Piper countered. She was suddenly pulled to a stop as Prue halted staring at Phoebe in aggravation. As she watched, Paige walked up and shook hands with Stefan while Phoebe introduced her.

"What's Phoebe doing here?" Prue demanded, glaring at her little sister.

"Ditching Paige and…Flirting," Piper answered shortly.

"Yeah and she's wearing Armani. Where did she get that?" Prue snapped, glancing at Piper quickly.

"Not from my closet… Gotta go," Piper responded, pulling away from Prue and heading back into the kitchen. Prue watched her leave and approached her two youngest sisters.

Paige looked up and waved as Prue advanced and Phoebe smiled. "Prue, hi," Phoebe greeted before turning to Stefan. "This is my last sister… Prue, this is Stefan the photographer," she introduced. Prue forced a fake smile and shook hands with him.

"Pleasure," Stefan replied.

"Likewise," Prue offered and her eyes flickered over Phoebe's dress. She glanced over at Paige and was pleased that she didn't seem to be wearing extremely overpriced clothing. She'd only have to interrogate one sister. "Nice dress," Prue brought up casually.

"Don't worry. It's not yours," Phoebe assured, leaning back into her chair. Paige bit her lip and looked over Phoebe's dress, apparently noticing for the first time how expensive it was because she glanced over at Prue nervously.

"I know… I could never afford it," Prue admitted, forcing her tone of voice to stay positive.

Phoebe frowned slightly and turned to Stefan. "Will you excuse me for a minute?" she asked pleasantly and got up from her chair. She irritably grabbed both Prue and Paige's hands and pulled them toward the kitchen. Prue flashed one last fake smile at Stefan before allowing herself to be pulled away. Stefan watched them leave and he looked down at his hand under the table. It was wrinkly and much too brittle to be the hand of his apparent youth.

~PO4~

Phoebe pushed irritably into the kitchen followed by Prue and Paige.

"What do you mean you charged it? How are you going to pay for that? You're broke," Prue scolded, her eyes flashing in anger. Paige disappeared into the ruckus of the kitchen to look for Piper before a huge argument erupted between the two sisters.

Phoebe spun around to face Prue defiantly. "Not for long," she countered, glaring at her eldest sister.

Prue sighed in understanding. "You didn't use your powers again…" Prue stated, shaking her head in frustration.

"Maybe. Are you saying you haven't?" Phoebe shot back.

"No I'm not saying that, but we're not talking about me, are we?" Prue snapped, her voice beginning to rise.

At this point, Piper came running up to them followed closely by Paige. Piper glanced around the kitchen trying to see if anyone had heard the conversation. "What are you guys doing in here?" she hissed, looking nervous.

"The same thing we do at home," Phoebe replied without turning to look at Piper or Paige.

Prue ignored Piper and continued. "So what did you do? Go to the tracks, play the market, what?" she demanded

"The lottery," Phoebe admitted, her eyes narrowed in defiance.

"Phoebe!" Piper scolded loudly.

"You guys, maybe we ought to continue this somewhere else…" Paige suggested as several people began to look curiously toward them. Phoebe ignored Paige while Piper followed her gaze to the people now watching them and began to   
slowly panic.

"What did you want me to do? Ignore the premonition. Not help a needy family. That's what we're supposed to do!" Phoebe yelled.

"No! We're not supposed to use our powers for our own personal gain. That's what it says in The Book of Shadows," Prue argued.

"Not so loud," Piper pleaded, pacing around her sisters.

Paige walked toward the group of people watching them and waved her hands. "Nothing to see here, get back to work," Paige ordered loudly, to cover up the talk of powers coming from the other two sisters. Reluctantly, the workers dispersed.

"You said we needed money, right? Well, I'm getting some," Phoebe pointed out.

"Come on you guys," Piper pleaded some more only to be ignored again.

"So get a job like everyone else!" Prue yelled, all her frustration of the day being released.

"I'm using my mind instead!" Phoebe retorted.

At that moment the door to the kitchen once again opened as Andy pushed through looking for Prue. "Prue?" he called, his eyes focusing on her. Prue froze hoping she had heard wrong while Phoebe, Piper, and Paige watched him approach nervously. As he walked toward her he bumped into a worker carrying plates, causing the worker to trip and drop the plates.

"Watch it!" Piper shouted throwing her hands out. The plates froze just before hitting the ground as did everything else in the room. All four sisters were left staring wide-eyed at the situation. "Oh no, not again…" Piper muttered beginning to pace frantically

"Now look what you have done!" Prue shouted, waving her hand to emphasize the situation.

"This is my fault?!" Phoebe yelled in disbelief.

Piper looked up at them in surprise. "You guys aren't frozen?" she asked in confusion.

"I guess it doesn't work on witches," Phoebe suggested with a shrug.

Paige spun around and opened the door to the kitchen and looked out to see everyone moving as normal. "Oh my," she whispered under her breath.

"Piper, how long does it last?" Prue demanded turning to follow Paige.

"I don't know… not long," Piper answered, trying to take deep breaths to calm herself.

"Uh, I hate to add to our ever growing number of problems, but it doesn't work out here either," Paige added, quickly closing the kitchen door.

Piper's eyes widened in fear and Phoebe looked around frantically. "Oh! Tell me this isn't happening," Piper pleaded, leaning up against a counter in panic.

"Nobody panic! We can fix this," Paige piped up, searching frantically for a solution.

~PO4~

Outside the kitchen, Darryl walked in looking for Andy. He put his hands in his pockets accidently revealing his police mark. Stefan noticed from where he sat and quickly got up and left.

~PO4~

"Calm down, it's okay, okay, it's all going to be okay," Phoebe was muttering over and over to Piper trying to calm her down.

Prue pushed past Paige and looked out the kitchen door to see a waitress pointing Darryl to the kitchen. Her eyes widened and she quickly backed into the kitchen. "Oh God, Andy's partner just came in and he's heading this way…" Prue added, running up to Piper and grabbing her hands.

"What are we going to do?" Piper asked, her voice a higher pitch from panic.

"Paige, stall him!" Phoebe hissed, running to get a menu to fan Piper with.

"Okay look Piper! You have to focus… don't worry…. Just focus," Prue whispered encouragingly.

Paige glanced out at the kitchen door to stall Darryl, but hesitated and backed away. "Which one is he?" Paige asked, having not ever seen Andy's partner before.

Prue glanced at Paige in disbelief while Phoebe dashed back to Piper. "Fix this," Phoebe shouted, pushing Prue toward the door and took over calming Piper down.

Prue ran out of the kitchen and intercepted Darryl. "Hey! Inspector Morris right?" Prue asked, blocking him from entering the kitchen.

"That's right… Is Trudeau in there?" Morris inquired, pointing behind her.

"Uh, Andy? I don't know… is he?" Prue feigned ignorance trying to hold him back, but Morris just walked around her.

Paige had also grabbed a menu and both she and Phoebe were frantically fanning Piper. "Okay, breathe, Piper, breathe," Phoebe pleaded as Darryl tried to push into the kitchen.

He was looking back at Prue who was vainly trying to keep his attention on her. Paige dropped her menu and dashed toward them, grabbing the door and pushing it as closed as she could force it so at least Darryl wouldn't be able to see anything for a few moments. Darryl glanced irritably at the door and roughly shoved it open, sending Paige back into the wall while Prue desperately grabbed his arm.

"Wait!" Prue pleaded. Just as Darryl finally entered the kitchen everything unfroze. The plates hit the ground with a loud crash, causing Piper to jump and the kitchen returned to its normal bustle.

Andy looked around in confusion for Prue, not seeing her where he thought she had been. "I think we should… talk…" he trailed off, finally seeing her come up behind Darryl, looking flustered. "What are you doing here? I thought I had five minutes…" Andy asked pointing at Darryl.

Darryl smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I gave you ten" he replied, pointing at his watch. Andy glanced in confusion down at his and they compared watches. Prue bit her lip and gave

Piper and Phoebe a pleading glance as Paige slipped out from behind the door rubbing her arm where she had slammed into the wall.

"You know… guys, we're really busy in here," Piper snapped in annoyance to the two cops.

Andy and Darryl both looked up over at her. "Yeah sure." Andy agreed, turning to leave.

"I'll call you later, I promise," Prue added, grabbing Darryl's arm and hurrying them toward the door. Andy nodded to Prue and waved to the other sisters.

"Bye," Phoebe called, trying to de-stress while Piper closed her eyes taking huge gulps of air.

"I hate being a witch," Piper hissed, turning away from all three of her sisters. Prue watched her in surprise, Phoebe flinched, and Paige let out a deep sigh almost as if she agreed.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper irritably threw open the door to the attic and collapsed into a chair, a few tears escaping from her eyes as she thought of what Pastor Williams had said. I sure wouldn't want to risk it….Exodus 22:18…. Put her to death. She's evil… evil… Did it still make her evil if she didn't ask for it? She looked up and saw the Book of Shadows resting on the pedestal where they usually left it. She silently stood up and grabbed it before sitting back down in the chair. Piper absent-mindedly flipped through the pages. She didn't know exactly why. She wasn't looking for anything in particular but it was something to do. She didn't look up, even after hearing a soft knock on the door to the attic. Piper knew it was Prue… She sensed her there, but even without the magic she would have known. Neither of the youngest Halliwells would have been as silent so long.

"Hey, sweetie, what are you doing up here?" Prue asked gently, coming in to sit in a chair across from Piper.

"Reading… Thinking…" Piper whispered, focusing on the book. She couldn't look up at Prue or she would break down and that was the last thing she wanted right now.

"About what?" Prue prodded, curling into the chair but her eyes never strayed from her little sister.

"You already know the answer to that," Piper replied, chancing a glance up at Prue.

The eldest sister smiled slightly at the truth of Piper's words but just shrugged. "I want you to tell me though," Prue explained, there was a difference between finding out and being told. There was more trust when being confided in. Piper smirked, but didn't respond. "Piper, talk to me, please."

"You're going to be late to your date with Andy," Piper pointed out, not sure she was ready to explain.

However, Prue wasn't willing to let it go that easily. "It wouldn't be the first time… He'd understand," Prue countered softly.

Piper rolled her eyes and took a deep breath. "I don't know… it's just, all our lives, we've been like everyone else. Rushing off to work, going out on bad dates, buying shoes… And suddenly, everything is different. We're witches now… I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing," she finally admitted. Prue didn't immediately respond as Piper wasn't quite through explaining. "The documentary, it said witches were evil… Pastor Williams quoted Exodus 22:18…. It said the same thing. I know the book says that we're 'good' witches. I know you, Phoebe, and Paige don't doubt it, but how do we know? What about Jeremy? What about all the warlocks he said would be coming after us? How do we know we're not  
just like them…?" Piper asked, looking up at Prue with pleading eyes.

Prue silently pulled her chair next to Piper's and pulled her into a tight hug. "Listen to me, Piper… I've met… a lot of people and I've never met anyone more caring than you.

You've always helped others… I've seen you at church, at work, even here, you've always helped out wherever. You see the good in people, even if no one else does. Your power doesn't change that. So, there's no way you've been given it… if not to continue the good things with it," Prue told her gently and she felt Piper nod slightly. The two sisters stayed that way for several moments… the younger wrapped in the elder's arms as they both thought about the drastic changes in their lives.

"Thanks," Piper finally whispered and then seemed to notice how silent it was in the house. She pulled away from Prue and looked around curiously. "Where are Phoebe and Paige?"

"Paige went back to work and I think Phoebe was looking for Stefan at the restaurant," Prue explained, falling silent for a moment before finally voicing her thoughts. "She isn't really going to go get her picture taken by him is she?" Prue asked, sounding a little disappointed.

Piper smiled and nodded. "That is her plan… She's supposed to take Paige with her, but I doubt she will," Piper answered, laughing softly. "I don't think it's anything against you and your photography skills. It's just that he's a guy…" she added.

Prue rolled her eyes and looked down at her watch. "I've got to go before Andy leaves…" she finally replied, getting to her feet. She looked closely at Piper for a moment. "You okay? Cause I can stay if you want…"

Piper shook her head, smiling. "No, I'm fine. I think I'm going to go back to church," Piper thought aloud as she gave Prue a hug and followed her down the stairs. "Have you decided what you're going to tell Andy yet?" she asked curiously.

"No idea. I figured I would worry about that part later," Prue admitted, smiling nervously. Piper laughed and let the subject drop as they both left the Manor.

~PO4~

The Restaurant

Prue, for the second time that day, slammed her car into park and hurried into the restaurant. Late again… As she ran in she saw Andy beginning to get up from the table and she hurried forward to stop him.

"Oh! I'm sorry I'm late…" she apologized and Andy appeared relieved that she had shown up. He had begun to wonder whether she would or not. "Piper needed a sister chat,"

Prue elaborated, sitting down across from Andy.

"Is she okay?" he asked, immediately worried.

"Yeah, uh, everything worked out," she answered, leaning back into her chair. An awkward silence fell between the two before a waitress approached to take their order.

"Two coffees?" Andy asked, glancing toward Prue to see if that was okay with her. Prue nodded and Andy looked back to the waitress. "Two coffees," He stated and the waitress left. She reappeared almost immediately, placing the two coffees on the table.

"Thanks," Prue automatically responded. She looked down at her coffee, avoiding eye contact with Andy. "Look, Andy…" she finally began to speak just as Andy started to speak as well.

"Prue…" they both trailed off awkwardly and Prue bit her lip before trying again.

"You go first…" she suggested at the same time Andy continued.

"Go ahead…" He laughed softly and leaned back in his chair as both of them trailed off again. Prue still wouldn't look at him and he realized she wasn't going to break the silence this time. He took a deep breath and started. "I'm not sorry it happened, Prue."

Prue finally looked up from her coffee to look at Andy. "Well, I have to be honest with you, Andy. I am," she admitted carefully. Andy frowned slightly and Prue, feeling bad enough already, added. "Not because I didn't enjoy it… I did. Especially the um…." She trailed off, blushing slightly.

Andy grinned and nodded. "Yeah that was great…" he agreed, his thoughts traveling back to the previous night.

"Yeah…" Prue whispered giggling softly. "And of course there was the uh…"

"That was nice too," Andy admitted, laughing.

Prue finally shook the thoughts out of her head and got back to the point. "Yeah, but that's not the point…" she replied hastily, causing Andy to fall silent again to hear her out.

"It's just that I haven't seen you in almost five years and just starting right back where we left off is just…" Prue trailed off having difficulty with finding the correct words to explain how she felt.

Andy nodded in understanding. "I know. I know, believe me. I just wanna know why you left, that's all. Why can't you tell me? What's the big secret?" he prodded.

Prue looked away, biting her lip. There was so much she wanted to tell him, that she couldn't. "Believe me, you don't wanna know," she whispered.

Andy looked at her in confusion and leaned closer to her. "Try me," he insisted, causing Prue to glance up at him and search for words that would satisfy his curiosity without giving herself away.

"Well, my life has gotten a little complicated…. And I just don't think I should get involved with anything right now," she explained cryptically, hoping he wouldn't push for more information.

He was silent for a moment before responding. "Prue, we had sex. It doesn't mean we have to elope," he pointed out and apparently noticed it was the wrong thing to say as he hurried to add. "Okay… about this. How about we just pretend like it didn't happen?" Andy suggested, causing Prue to look up at him suspiciously.

"Do you want me to toss you a life preserver now or just let you sink on your own?" Prue joked.

Andy laughed and shook his head. "No, I'm serious. We'll just count that one as part of our old relationship. We'll slow down and start another," he explained. Prue fell silent pondering the idea carefully. "Prue, we've been given a second chance. I don't want to blow it this time," he admitted. Before Prue could responded her phone began to ring while Andy's pager went off. Both looked down at their electronics awkwardly. "Dating in the nineties," Andy muttered good-naturedly as he pulled his pager out and turned it off.

Prue reached for her phone. "Excuse me…" she replied to Andy before answering it. "Hello?" Prue asked and fell silent as the person on the other end spoke. "Yeah, absolutely. I'm sure that I can make that," she answered followed by   
"Thanks" and she hung up the phone. "I don't believe it. That was the Auction House and they want me to come back in for second interview… I've gotta go," Prue explained, dropping her phone in her bag and standing up. She fell silent as she wondered how to address Andy's proposal. "Uh, can you just give me a little time to think things through?" she asked. Andy gave her a slight nod and watched her walk away uncertainly.

~PO4~

The Church

Outside the church Piper sat in her car, glancing every so often to the main entrance to the church.

"I have nothing to be afraid of. I have nothing to be afraid. Nothing, nothing, nothing to be afraid of," she murmured to herself as she unbuckled her seat belt and pushed the door of the car open. She cautiously walked toward the door and wrapped her hand around the handle. She hesitated as if expecting to hear a clap of thunder but all was silent. Piper closed her eyes tightly and pulled the large door open, almost losing her balance as it swung open easier than she had expected it would. Nothing happened and she looked toward the sky as she took several small steps toward the open entrance. She stepped one foot inside the door, testing its safety and jumped back as if she expected to be shocked. Again nothing happened so she took a step past the threshold, entering the church completely. Immediately, she grinned and walked back out. "I'm good!" Piper shouted to the sky, throwing her hands up excitedly. She laughed at herself and started to walk back toward her car, a new skip in her step. As she reached the side walk an old woman approached her and Piper took her hand staring in disbelief. She had the tattoo of an angel… the same she had seen on Britney the night before. "Britney?" she whispered, watching the old woman closely.

"Do you know me? Is that my name?" asked the old woman, appearing relieved. Piper didn't immediately answer as she thought about the possibilities.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Rex met Prue in front of the Secretary's desk fifteen minutes after Prue left Andy at the restaurant. He walked up to her and shook her hand.

"Prue, thank you for coming back," he greeted pleasantly.

"Thanks for having me back, though I must admit I didn't expect it," she replied, turning to follow Rex as he headed for another room.

"Well, I told you I was interested and I am. First of all, I decided to test your expertise, if you don't mind. See how good you really are," Rex explained, leading her into another room filled with ladders and paint, but also with a few artifacts. 

"Watch your step," he warned, pointing to several cans of paint that littered the floor. He led her up to where another woman was waiting beside the artifacts. "This is Hannah Webster, one of our assistant specialists. This is Prue Halliwell," he introduced them as Prue and Hannah shook hands.

"Hi, nice to meet you," Prue greeted politely while Hannah just gave a slight nod.

"Please, tell us about this piece," Rex prompted Prue, pointing towards a large painting and effectively ending the formalities.

Prue took a few seconds to look over the piece before replying. "Well, Madonna of Meadow, Giovanni Berlini, 16th Century, fabulous piece. Worth three or four million dollars easily if it wasn't a copy," Prue explained.

Hannah laughed softly and looked toward the painting. "What makes you think it's a copy?" she asked.

Prue smiled slightly in response. "Too well preserved, no yellowing. Besides the framework is in pine and Italian painters used poplar back then," Prue replied, causing Hannah to frown and fall silent while Rex nodded, appearing impressed.

"Alright, what about this one?" Rex asked leading Prue toward a statue set up beside the painting.

"Daygar. Actually, this was the only sculpture he exhibited himself," she answered almost immediately upon seeing it. Hannah looked down pretending to fix her glasses and 'accidently' knocked the ladder beside her. A can of paint fell over and Prue looked up in time to see the paint spill out toward her. Prue jumped and put her hands out in front of her, accidently using her power to deviate the paint around her to splash onto the floor… and Hannah's shoes. Prue took a deep breath and put her hands down, hoping they hadn't realized what happened.

Rex moved toward her to grab her arm gently. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice full of concern. He glanced up at the ladder in surprise.

Prue, slightly shocked, didn't immediately respond, but after realizing she was supposed to answer jumped to reply. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm okay," she insisted, nodding vigorously, feeling more embarrassed than anything.

"You sure? I'm sorry. I can't believe that happened," Rex apologized, letting her go.

"It's okay," Prue replied again, looking down at her hands.

"Well, uh, I really don't know what to say. Except. You're hired… If you still want the job of course," he offered, laughing softly and looking around the room again.

Prue stared at him in surprise. "Are you serious?" she asked in disbelief.

Rex smiled at her surprise and nodded. "Can you start Monday?" he suggested with a shrug.

"Yeah, absolutely," Prue agreed enthusiastically.

Rex grinned and shook her hand again. "Terrific. It's done then. We can sort out all the details when you come in. In the mean time, welcome aboard," he congratulated, glancing back toward Hannah.

"Thanks, bye," Prue responded and then waved as she passed by Hannah on her way out.

Hannah smiled snobbishly while Rex turned to watch her leave. When she had disappeared, he turned back to Hannah. "So what do you think?" he asked, looking at her pointedly.

Hannah glanced toward where Prue had left and then looked back at Rex. "I think, either she's the luckiest woman alive or… she's a witch."

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Prue pulled into the driveway of the Manor in time to see Paige getting out of a taxi parked in front of the house. Prue got out of her car and met Paige outside the cab just as Paige paid the driver and he drove off.

"Paige? I thought you were going with Phoebe or something," Prue stated curiously.

Paige frowned and looked away. "I was… Phoebe wanted to go a little earlier and I couldn't get off work so she went without me," Paige explained, looking a little put down.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sis," Prue sympathized gently.

"It's okay… He's not that great of a photographer anyways…" Paige trailed off and then grinned mischievously. "When you become a famous photographer in the future, will you take an awesome picture of me that I can gloat over to Phoebe?" she pleaded, looking up at Prue with her best puppy face.

Prue grinned and chuckled. "If I ever become a photographer, sure. I'll even let you be the first one to get their picture taken," Prue agreed.

"That's only because Piper doesn't like her picture taken," Paige accused good-naturedly but feigning sadness. Prue tried not to laugh and kept silent, while Paige, reading her eyes nodded. "You're right… Gotta take what I can get." There was a short pause before Paige couldn't help but break the silence. "So anyways, how was your date with Andy? Work things out?" Paige asked eagerly, glancing toward her older sister hopefully.

Prue frowned slightly not really sure where they stood yet. "Honestly, I don't know. It's not even so much as what happened as what is going to happen…" Prue answered, sighing at the bad situation. Paige stared at her sister appearing confused and silently told her to elaborate. Prue seemed to notice because she added. "I mean with all this witch stuff. Am I supposed to be able to tell him about that?" she asked, turning to walk into the Manor.

Understanding lit Paige's eyes and she smiled slightly. "I see how that could be a problem," she agreed and trailed off to think about the best answer. "I might not be an expert, but wouldn't the sooner be the better? Why waste your time on a relationship that in the end won't be successful. Normally, I would say to get to know them more until you judge that they aren't going to call the news or put you in an asylum, but since it's Andy, I can't imagine him having much of a problem, much less try to put you in an insane asylum," Paige half-joked as they pushed the door open.

"Easier said than done," Prue countered, but nonetheless gave her youngest sister a tight hug before hanging her jacket up on the rack. "Piper, Phoebe! Guess what," she called through the quiet house to bring her other sisters here so she could tell them all about the job. It was only 8:10 so there was a chance that Phoebe hadn't left yet. Paige cast her a questioning glance and followed Prue toward the stairs.

"What?" called a soft voice to their right which caused Prue to stare and Paige to jump as the old woman Piper met at the church walked up to them.

"Prue! Why is there an old lady in our house?" Paige hissed softly, grabbing tightly onto Prue's arm in her surprise. Before Prue could speak Piper came from the kitchen.

"Prue! Paige! Thank God you guys are home…" Piper called running up to them, carrying a bowl from the kitchen.

"Yeah, who uh…" Prue began but trailed off, not wanting to be rude with the old lady standing right there.

Piper however ignored both her sisters for a moment, turning to look at the woman and handing her a bowl. "Here you go, Britney, why don't you go sit down at the table okay?" she offered, pointing Britney toward the dining room and Britney slowly walked off.

"Uh, Britney?" Paige asked as the three sisters huddled together just outside the dining room.

"You guys aren't going to believe this… I'm not sure I do. I think…. No I know. This woman is Britney Reynolds." Piper explained.

Prue rolled her eyes while Paige looked back at the woman confused. "Yeah, right Piper, and I'm Rosey O'Donnell," Prue countered, thinking Piper was joking.

"No, I mean it. Britney has a tattoo right? An angel on her right hand remember?" Piper reminded her sisters. Prue and Paige both glanced at the old woman's right hand and stared in disbelief.

"No…" Paige hissed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"It can't be…" Prue agreed, looking back at Piper for an explanation.

"That's what I thought at first but I started asking her questions. Things that only Britney would know…. She may be senile, but it was enough to convince me," Piper insisted, grabbing both her sisters hands and pulling them toward the stairs where she thought she'd found something that might be related.

~PO4~

Stefan's Photography Studio

Phoebe pulled into the parking lot of the studio in the Quake van she borrowed from Piper. She turned the van off in the middle of the empty lot and pulled her dress out. She walked around to the side door and knocked loudly.

"Stefan, it's me Phoebe!" she yelled through the door to let him know she was here. With no answer forthcoming Phoebe grabbed the handle and was thrown into a premonition.

Herself tied to a table and Javna approaching her. The ray beams shot out of his eyes and Premonition Phoebe screamed.

Phoebe stayed at the door for a moment, stunned in fear, before spinning around. She dashed back toward the van, threw her dress down in the parking lot and jumped into the van. Phoebe reached to turn the keys that were still in the ignition when a hand grabbed her from behind the driver's seat.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper impatiently pulled Prue and Paige toward the book.

"Piper, what are you talking about?" Prue demanded as they approached the open book.

"I'm telling you, I saw something about it in the Book of Shadows," Piper insisted, reaching the book and flipping through it. Prue and Paige exchanged a curious glance before crowding around the pedestal at the page Piper flipped to. 

"Okay, look, see… Javna feeds one week out of every year by stealing the life force from the young," she read quickly.

"By evoking the black magic power, the evil eye, to sustain eternal youth," Prue finished.

"Pity he couldn't just find the Philosopher's Stone… That might actually be useful," Paige thought aloud, earning an uncertain glance from both her sisters. She just smiled innocently and shrugged. "You know… eternal youth. Turns things to gold… Don't you guys read?" she asked, looking flustered.

"Apparently not what you read…" Prue answered before Piper hit her on the arm, effectively regaining her attention. Paige giggled but went silent at a glare from Piper.

"It's got to be what happened to Britney," Piper declared, pointing at the page again.

Prue re-read the passage and nodded. "Okay, I agree, but there's got to be some way to reverse it somehow," she stated, glancing again at Piper.

"There is," Piper announced, turning several more pages in the book before stopping.

"The Hand of Fatima…" Paige read slowly. "Sounds promising," she offered.

"It's says the prophet Mohammad used it centuries ago to banish Javna back to…. Wherever the hell he came from," Piper finished.

"So what… we read this and he just disappears… How do we know he can't come back?" Paige asked uncertainly.

"I guess we don't really… at least not at this point," Piper replied before glancing at Prue. "What do you think?"

"Well, even if we tried this we don't know who Javna really is, let alone where he is," Prue responded taking the book from Piper to flip through for any kind of supernatural demon locater.

~PO4~

Downstairs, Britney placed her bowl on the counter and approached the refrigerator where she gingerly took down the napkin with Stefan's address on it. She read it silently and some of the memories returned and she collapsed.

~PO4~

Prue, Piper, and Paige all looked up and shot worried glances to each other as they heard the fall echo through the house.

"Britney?" Piper called worriedly before dashing off down the stairs closely followed by Prue and Paige.

~PO4~

All three came to the kitchen to find Britney lying on the floor. "Oh my God, Britney, what happened?" Piper asked frantically.

"Are you all right?" Prue asked as she dropped down beside Britney while Paige pushed through beside her.

"Should I call 911?" Paige suggested.

"And tell them what? That she's dying of old age at twenty five?" Prue retorted, shooting that idea down. Paige just shrugged while Piper reached past both of them and grabbed the napkin with Stefan's address on it off the floor. "What is it?'

"It's a cocktail napkin from my restaurant… with Stefan's address on the back," Piper explained, sounding confused.

Britney weakly put her finger on the address. "Javna…" she whispered, her eyes wide with fright.

All three sisters fell silent and cast fearful glances at each other. "Prue… that's where Phoebe went," Piper finally choked out. Prue stood up and pulled Piper and Paige to their feet.

Together they moved Britney to the couch before departing the Manor to head to Stefan's address.

"Aren't you glad you didn't go with Phoebe now, Paigey?" Prue called, trying to lighten the mood.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Andy and Darryl were sitting behind their desks watching the ATM machine's video tape the night of the first disappearance.

"Look at this… The ATM machine caught the first victim," Darryl observed, pointing to one of the women in the tape.

"And she's leaving with that photographer, Stefan," Andy added, recognizing the man that was leading her out.

"Jibes was the last place she was seen before she disappeared. Is he on the suspect list?" Darryl asked. He looked over Andy's shoulder to the list of suspects.

"Just moved to the top," Andy replied, putting the clip board down and grabbing his jacket and the keys to the patrol car.

"God bless ATM's," Darryl praised as he lead the way out of their office. Their goal to find Stefan.

~PO4~

Stefan's Photography Studio

Phoebe vainly tried to break the bonds that held her tied to the table all the previous victims had been on. "Please, Stefan, or whoever you are. Let me go," she pleaded as Javna stepped out of the shadows toward her.

"It's Javna," he hissed slowly. His eyes began to glow red and Phoebe screamed.

~PO4~

Outside the studio, Prue, Piper, and Paige pulled up beside the Quake van in the empty parking lot. Piper was the first to reach the van and look inside hopefully.

"Do you see anything?" Prue called as she turned the car off and followed Paige.

"No…" Piper whispered beginning to panic.

"It's okay, Piper, we'll find her," Paige insisted, taking her big sister's hand.

"Maybe we should call the police," Piper suggested, giving Prue a worried glance.

Prue shook her head. "No, if Javna has her we're the only ones who can stop him," she berated gently.

"Yeah, but we need Phoebe to do it. The incantation only works with the four of us," Piper argued but was cut short as all three sisters heard Phoebe's scream coming from inside the building. Prue dashed off, followed closely by Paige and Piper.

~PO4~

The ray beams shot out of Javna's eyes and hit Phoebe in the face. After only a few moments Prue, Piper and Paige had run into the building and Javna looked over at them, distracted. Before he could do anything Prue squinted her eyes and Javna was sent flying back into the wall and landed with a thud. Piper took off to untie Phoebe. Javna regained his feet and reached out toward Prue and Paige. His eyes glowed red and the ray beams shot out into Prue's eyes.  
Paige screamed and tried to tug Prue out of their way, but it was as if she had frozen. Something kept her from moving… or being pulled away. Paige glanced around frantically and caught sight of the mirror on a small table on the other side of the room. "Mirror!" she shouted and the mirror appeared in her hand in the familiar swirl of lights. Javna slowly advanced while Piper pulled Phoebe off the table. Paige held the mirror in front of Prue's eyes which caused the red beams to be deflected back at Javna who was sent back into the table.

"Come on, Phoebe, we don't have a lot of time," Piper explained quickly as they joined Prue and Paige, who had pulled out the spell they were meant to say.

"Now," Prue ordered.

"Evil Eyes look unto thee,  
May they soon extinguished be,  
Bend they will to the Power of Four,  
Eye of Earth, evil and accursed."

Javna tried to sit back up and reached toward them. "Can't stop me, I will live forever," he yelled while they began to chant again. Prue held out her hand and it began to glow with a bright white light that hit Javna in the chest and held him at bay.

"Evil Eyes look unto thee,  
May they soon extinguished be,  
Bend they will to the Power of four,  
Eye of Earth, evil and accursed."

They finished and Javna fell back and disintegrated, leaving the four sisters stunned. The glowing light disappeared from Prue's hand, but she didn't move.

"Very cool…" Phoebe whispered, causing Paige to giggle softly and Prue and Piper to exchange a glance… It's so Phoebe.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Back at the Manor, Britney regained her youth and looked around in confusion as she didn't remember having come here.

~PO4~

Stefan's Photography Place

As the four sisters left the building they heard the police sirens drive closer until they pulled into the parking lot. There was no getting away at this point so Piper, Phoebe, and Paige huddled behind Prue next to the two cars. Several officers, including Andy and Darryl, jumped out of their vehicles and began to surround the studio.

"What the hell?" Darryl asked, noticing the four sisters.

"Prue?" Andy called in surprise as he ran toward them, followed closely by Darryl. "What are you doing here?" he demanded while Darryl began to order some other officers to their duties.

Prue forced herself not to bite her lip or look at her sisters. "Well, we were just trying to get the van started," she lied, pointing towards the Quake van that Phoebe had arrived in.

Piper jumped to back up the lie. "Yeah, Phoebe called and said she was having car trouble," Piper added, casually pointing back toward Phoebe.

"Stefan was going to take some pictures of me…" Phoebe explained to Andy's questioning look.

"I told you that car was a piece of junk," Paige continued, giving Phoebe a fake I-told-you-so look.

Andy looked from one sister to another. "Do you guys have any idea how lucky you are? This guy is the stalker…" he told them while all four sisters glanced at each other and feigned their characteristic looks in such a situation. Prue looked worried, Piper leaned into Prue looking scared, Phoebe looked surprised and Paige glanced around in disbelief.

Darryl came up behind Andy and got his attention. "There's no sign of him inside, but his car is here so he might still be around," he explained and then glanced at the four  
sisters. "Stay with them," he ordered and walked off.

Andy watched Darryl leave and then looked back at the van. "Excuse me," Andy stated as he gently pushed Phoebe and Paige farther away from the door to the van. He reached through the open window and turned the keys in the ignition. The van roared to life and Andy glanced back at them with a knowing look.

"Hey, how about that, you fixed it," Piper offered acting impressed only to receive a sarcastic grin from Andy.

"How about that…" he replied, searching the sisters' faces.

Paige bit her lip under the scrutinizing eye and looked around at her sisters. "Nobody panic. Next time we have car trouble, we know who to call!" she responded enthusiastically. Prue smiled and looked down at the ground while Piper and Phoebe grinned awkwardly.

"Maybe we should go," Phoebe suggested, turning away from Andy and pulling Paige along with her.

"Good idea," Andy agreed and walked to stand questioningly in front of Prue. Piper glanced between the two and hurried off after Phoebe and Paige to wait in the car.

"Uh… thanks," Prue whispered, smiling awkwardly, her eyes flickering to the van and back to Andy who gave her a slight nod. "Call me?" she asked hopefully.

"Sure," Andy replied. Prue gave a slight nod in return and walked around Andy to join her sisters in the car. Andy turned to watch her leave before turning to find Darryl.

~PO4~

Quake

The next morning all four sisters took the time out of their daily schedule to meet at Quake. Phoebe was the last to arrive, pushing through the crowd to join Prue, Piper, and Paige at the bar. As she made her way to them she stopped when she recognized the woman that Stefan had been having lunch with the day she had met him.

"Hi, how are you?" Phoebe asked, sounding concerned. The woman gave her a curious stare and just shrugged. Phoebe, realizing the woman didn't recognize her just turned and sat down with her sisters.

"Do you know that girl?" Piper asked curiously glancing around Phoebe to look at the woman.

"I almost was that girl. She was one of Stefan's victims, obviously doesn't remember anything," Phoebe explained, leaning against the bar.

"Lucky her," Prue offered.

"No, lucky me… I've learned my lesson. I've got to be more careful," Phoebe admitted causing Prue and Piper to glance at her in surprise.

"I agree! No more powers unless it's necessary… mostly," Paige agreed, taking a sip of her cola.

"Did I hear correctly? Did our little sisters actually agree to doing something wrong?" Prue asked Piper teasingly while watching Phoebe and Paige's reaction.

"That's what I heard," Piper replied, playing with her straw.

Paige gently hit Piper on the arm while Phoebe frowned. "Frame it… it won't happen again," Phoebe warned, causing Prue and Paige to laugh.

"At least we helped those people. It's really nice to know our powers really are good," Piper added, leaning back into our chair.

"Yeah, good for everything but our love lives unfortunately, but I must admit they do come in handy every once in a while," Prue agreed.

"Uh huh, hypocrite," Phoebe accused pointing a finger at Prue while Paige pointed at the television where the lottery numbers were about to be revealed.

"Hey, Pheebs, didn't you play the lottery?" she reminded her older sister who glanced eagerly up at the television. The winning lottery tickets read. 4, 16,19,30,32, and 40.

Phoebe grinned and searched in her purse for her lottery ticket. "I won!" she exclaimed, earning a disapproving look from Prue. "Well, I did," Phoebe defended finally pulling her ticket out.

"Let me see," Paige exclaimed taking it from her to see the numbers. As she watched they all disappeared and Phoebe slumped against the counter in disappointment.

Prue smiled and shook her head. "See, I told you. You can't intentionally use your powers for your own personal gain, remember?" she pointed out, laughing softly.

"Good thing I didn't take the tags off that dress… well at least the old couple didn't lose their house," Phoebe offered, shaking her head as Paige and Piper joined in Prue's laughing.

Piper lifted her cup of cola off the table in front of her sisters. "A toast to the Power of Four, whether we like it or not," she toasted and Prue, Phoebe, and Paige jumped to join in.

All four laughing at the other three as the cups clinked together.


	5. Thank You For Not Morphing Part 1

The Halliwell Manor/ Neighbor's House

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige exited the Halliwell Manor on the way to the party being hosted across the street.

"So, we're agreed. Twenty minutes?" Prue asked, glancing at her three sisters for confirmation as they walked down the stairs.

"Prue, you can't do a party in twenty minutes," Piper argued, casting her older sister an annoyed glance.

"Watch me," Prue countered, running her hand through her hair and looking longingly back behind them to the house they had just left.

Paige rolled her eyes and switched sides of the group to push Prue along toward the party. "You know, Prue. It wouldn't kill you to relax a little," Paige pointed out casually.

"Sleeping is relaxing," Prue retorted, pulling out of her youngest sister's grip and moving ahead of the other three. She glanced back over her shoulder and added "Which, by the way, is what I would be doing right now." With that she spun back around and hurried toward the party, causing the other three to hurry to catch up.

"I thought you were dreading the party," Phoebe complained as she allowed herself to be pulled along by Piper.

"The sooner I get there the sooner I can leave," Prue explained quickly.

Phoebe smirked and Paige giggled. "Prue's party tips. Meet, Greet, and Bail," Phoebe teased, smiling innocently as Prue gave her a glare.

"Hey, I'm sorry, but some of us have a job," Prue reminded her sisters, pointedly looking at Phoebe, who frowned slightly.

"And some of us have fun," Phoebe shot back, a little coldly.

"And some of us are having a really bad hair day," Piper complained. She ran a careful hand through her hair in an attempt to make it presentable.

"You know, that is a sign. Let's turn back now before it's too late," Prue suggested. She spun around and began walking swiftly through her sisters back to the safety of the Manor.

Piper and Paige both grabbed Prue from behind to keep her from running off. "No," Piper ordered, pulling her back around and holding onto her wrist tightly to ensure no more trouble.

"Prue, it's never too late for a party," Phoebe offered while laughing at Prue's failed attempt to escape.

"Never too late," Paige agreed.

The three other sisters all glanced teasingly over at Prue, who sighed loudly and allowed herself to be pulled across the street. "Hey! Remember my sweet sixteen?" Phoebe asked, changing the subject.

~PO4~

In the bushes at the end of their property, a huge black dog watched the four sisters cross the street. As they made their way into the house hosting the party the dog's eyes glowed and it turned toward the Manor.

~PO4~

"I've got an idea. Why don't we throw a party and charge admission. It's a great way to make extra cash," Phoebe suggested.

"Hey, I've got an even better idea. Why don't you just get a job?" Prue countered, her voice falsely chipper as they pushed through the crowd to meet the people hosting the party.

"Oh, the sisters Halliwell. Now the party can begin," Marshall, the eldest of the hosts, greeted them pleasantly.

"It's about time you chicks showed," Cynda agreed and then took a sip of her drink.

Fritz, the youngest of them, watched Prue closely. "Hey, Prue, I'm glad you could make it," he welcomed softly.

Prue forced a fake smile for them and looked back at Fritz. "Wouldn't miss it for the world, Fritz," she lied, looking beside her at Piper pleadingly.

Piper nodded slightly and jumped to start a neutral conversation. "Marshall, the place looks great," Piper complimented enthusiastically.

"Thank you, we're mostly restoring it. I didn't want to change it too much," Marshall appreciated, looking around at the house as he spoke. "You guys knew the old owners didn't you?" he asked casually.

"Yeah, we used to come over here after school," Paige answered before looking around at the house for the changes.

"We probably know the house better than you guys," Phoebe added jokingly, pointing between the three.

They all laughed and Marshall disagreed with her good-naturedly before looking over at Fritz and Cynda. "Hey, how's the bar?" he asked, nodding toward the crowd around the bar. 

Fritz followed his gaze and frowned. "Oh, dry. I'll take care of it," Fritz offered but was stopped by Cynda, who grabbed his arm.

"No, it's my turn," she argued, pulling Fritz back and glancing at the Halliwell sisters for a moment. She crushed the can she held and pushed between the sisters toward the bar.

Paige and Prue moved hastily to one side while Piper and Phoebe moved the other way to let Cynda through. They frowned uncertainly before moving back together.

Marshall watched Cynda go and called after her. "Try to behave, Cynda, we have guests!"

"You know… sisters," Fritz explained to Prue, seeming embarrassed.

Prue smiled in false sympathy. "Tell me about it," she agreed, causing Piper to frown and lightly slap her on the arm while Phoebe and Paige sent her disconcerted looks.

"So, uh, listen enjoy the party," Marshall wished as he and Fritz left to meet the other guests.

"Okay…" the Halliwell sisters softly agreed and were left standing together in the middle of the crowd. Phoebe and Paige looked around at the crowd expectantly while Prue grabbed Piper's hand to keep her from dispersing into the crowd.

"Okay, I came, I saw, I was perky. Now I just want my head on a pillow because I have to wake up early," Prue finally spoke, gaining her sisters' attention again.

"No!" Phoebe immediately exclaimed, a bit too loudly to be casual. "I mean not… yet," she tried to save.

Paige cast her a warning glance while Phoebe looked to her for help. Paige tried to nod casually while Piper and Prue stared at them in confusion. "Yeah, we just got here. You haven't had time to… relax yet," Paige agreed awkwardly.

Prue frowned and looked at Piper, who just shrugged before looking back at her two youngest sisters. "Alright. What's going on?" Prue demanded, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

"Going on? What do you mean?" Phoebe asked with an innocent shrug of her shoulders. She looked over Prue's shoulder and smiled in satisfaction. She pointed feigning surprise.

"Oh! What a coinkidink! Look who's here." Paige smiled and waved while Prue and Piper spun around to see who they were talking about. Andy looked back at them and waved, making his way through the crowd.

Prue stiffened and turned a glare at Piper. "Don't look at me! I didn't invite him!" Piper replied throwing her hands up innocently.

Prue then turned her glare to Phoebe. "Phoebe, you didn't," Prue hissed.

"Well, your fingers weren't doing the walking. Someone's had to," Phoebe countered, crossing her arms defensively.

"We've been through this. Okay, Cop, witch. It's not a love connection," Prue defended.

"Boy, girl… lighten up," Phoebe shot back and then glanced at Paige and Piper.

Paige just nodded innocently while Piper crossed her arms looking irritated. "How come I wasn't in on this?" she demanded while glaring at Phoebe and Paige.

"Because you'd tell her… whether purposely or not. We couldn't risk it," Paige explained, grinning despite the glares from Prue and Piper. Phoebe grabbed Paige and pulled her away from Prue to disperse into the crowd as Andy approached.

Paige reached out to grab Piper and pull her along but Prue stubbornly held onto Piper. "You are not leaving! I was not prepared for this," Prue hissed to Piper while Phoebe and Paige hesitated. They hadn't thought about that reaction.

Piper glanced over at Andy who was really close now and pried Prue's hands off her arm. "I'm so not getting in the middle of you two. You got it, Sis!" Piper encouraged, joining Phoebe and Paige in the crowd, and leaving Prue to wait for Andy.

Phoebe and Paige giggled as they pulled Piper past Andy. "Hi, Andy," Piper greeted quickly before following her little sisters. Andy waved and then looked Prue over.

"We're, uh, working on their subtlety," Prue joked, looking around Andy to her departing sisters.

Andy grinned and followed her gaze. "And then it's on to ending hunger and creating world peace, right?" he guessed lightly.

"Hmmm… what will I do with my Saturday?" Prue wondered, playing along with the joke.

"Funny you should ask. I don't mean to push you, but I was wondering if you're not doing anything… I kind of have these tickets, but they're for a Warrior's game and you probably wouldn't be interested so…" Andy trailed off casually, looking anywhere but at her eyes.

"Well, the team can't do any worse than they did last year. Did you see them get creamed by the Lakers?" she replied thoughtfully.

Andy laughed and finally looked into her eyes. "Impressive, is that a yes?" he asked hopefully.

Prue's smile faded and she looked down at her hands for a moment. "You know, um, I need to check my book because I might have a… thing," Prue explained awkwardly before biting her lip.

Andy smiled slightly. "A thing?" he repeated and nodded as he took a sip from his cup.

Fritz walked up from behind Andy and pointed at him. "So Prue, I hear you're friends with a cop," Fritz brought up, glancing from Prue to Andy and back again.

"Inspector actually…" Prue corrected, her eyes flickering nervously from Fritz to Andy, trying to judge his reaction. She looked down at her cup and began playing with the plastic stirring stick.

"Oh yeah, well, I've got these parking tickets," Fritz began before turning to Andy who narrowed his eyes slightly before turning to face him.

"My focus is mainly homicide and robbery," he explained abruptly, cutting Fritz off in his explanation.

"Yeah, yeah, I've got these parking tickets," Fritz began again as Prue backed away, heading for the door, and beyond that the safety of the Manor.

Andy noticed and tried to follow her, but Fritz stood in his way. "Prue, wait," he called desperately over the crowd.

Irritably, Prue slammed the door of the house as she left and hurried across the street. She couldn't risk Andy following her. She made it to the house without him catching up, but hesitated upon seeing the front door open. She sighed in frustration as she entered and closed the door behind her. "Phoebe," she whispered in exasperation and then froze as she felt something wrong. Prue took a few steps inside the house when she heard barking coming from the steps and she halted. The same huge black dog that had been hiding in the bushes when they left was on the steps barking and growling at Prue. She slowly backed toward the door and the dog immediately responded by following her, still barking and growling. She spun around in panic and shot out the door. The dog stopped on the threshold and its eyes began to glow, unnoticed by Prue as she ran back to her sisters and Andy.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

All four sisters were crowded in the kitchen listening to Prue's run in with the dog. Piper looked worried and kept shooting glances around the room as if she expected someone to jump out of the shadows, Phoebe appeared nonchalant as she ate cookies from a tin, and Paige was leaning against the table listening to Prue intently.

"How big was this dog again?" Phoebe asked as Prue walked by her to the sink.

"Huge, didn't you see those scratches on the attic door?" Prue reminded Phoebe, turning away again as she cleaned up the counter space.

"I want to know how it got in," Paige stated, glancing over at Prue who just shrugged in reply.

"I don't know. Somebody probably left the front door open again," Prue replied with a pointed look at Phoebe.

Phoebe's eyes flashed indignantly. "Why do you always assume it was me? Why not Piper? Or Paige?" she snapped, eating some more cookies and pointing to the other two sisters.

"Not it!" Piper retorted, opening a can of peanut butter as she made a sandwich for her sisters.

"I came out first, remember?" Paige, also, pointed out as she dropped into a chair.

"Well, it's not a big deal. We've checked the house and nothing is missing except my Pat Boone Christmas CD," Phoebe responded sounding a little disappointed. Piper and Prue exchanged a glance as Prue made her way to lock the windows.

"No, it is a big deal. If there was a dog in the house then it had to have an owner. No dog I know can open that front door, much less reach top shelf. And Prue came in by herself. What if she'd run into the owner?" Piper disagreed hastily.

"Creepy," Paige agreed while Prue gave Piper a quick hug to calm her panicking younger sister.

"Hey, maybe we should get a security system," Phoebe suggested, glancing at Prue. Piper's words apparently hitting a nerve.

"No, they're way too expensive. Besides, after what happened, Andy will be checking in on us every five minutes," Prue argued, folding a few towels that had been sitting on the table in front of Paige.

"Ooh. You told him?" Piper asked teasingly.

"Convenient," Phoebe commented, also glancing teasingly at Prue who frowned and rolled her eyes.

"Do we do anything else?" Paige wondered aloud, bringing everyone back to the topic.

"Well, either we can rely on our vicious guard cat to protect us or we can remember to lock the doors," Prue replied, sounding annoyed and glaring at Phoebe pointedly before heading into the laundry room to throw the towels in.

Phoebe nodded and sat her tin of cookies down on the table. "That is a really good idea, Prue," Phoebe agreed, following Prue to the laundry room door where she closed and locked Prue in before walking away while laughing. Paige laughed and Piper couldn't hold back a smile as Prue tried to open the door.

"Unlock the door, Phoebe," she called warningly and with no response forthcoming glared at Piper, who, laughing softly, got up to open it.

Piper hesitated before turning the lock and glanced at Phoebe. "You might want to run, Sis," she suggested and Phoebe took off up the stairs, leaving one angry sister and two amused sisters in the kitchen.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

The next morning Prue sat at her desk at the Auction House writing information down on a notepad that she got from her computer. She didn't notice anyone approach her desk until she was bathed in shadow and she heard someone clear their throat. She glanced up at a man who, the moment he got her attention, jumped to explain his presence.

"I was told you might be able to help me," he explained, taking off a ring from his finger and walking toward her. "I would like to have this… appraised," he added, showing her the ring and then placing it gently on her desk.

Prue glanced down at it for a moment before fixing him with a curious gaze. "Well, you would be better off going to the House's Appraiser," she admitted before looking back down at the ring. It seemed familiar…

"I've already been there. He'd need a week and I just wouldn't feel right without it. It's a family heirloom," the man replied as Prue picked up the ring and looked closer at it.

"I think I've seen a ring similar to this before. The setting is quite old. At least seventeenth century." Prue observed, getting up from the desk and heading toward her bookshelf where she pulled a large book off the shelf. "The stones look like crystallite… Keep in mind this is just an educated guess," she added as an afterthought as she set the book down at her desk.

The man grinned and sat down in the chair across from her, his eyes never straying from Prue. "Please, guess away," he allowed.

Prue flipped through several pages of the book before stopping. "If I'm not mistaken, it's a stone the Egyptians believed would protect them from spells, curses, evil spirits," she trailed off, biting her lip slightly. "This wouldn't be a wedding band by any chance would it?" Prue asked slowly.

"You tell me," he countered, appearing impressed.

"The stones are set in twos, a symbol of duality. Man, woman, again protection," Prue continued and trailed off as comprehension began to dawn.

"And what does all that tell you?" the man asked carefully.

Prue hesitated before finally looking up at the man in front of her. "Where did you get this ring? What did you say your name was?" she breathed, her voice catching in her throat.

He leaned forward, moving closer. "I think you know what my name is…. Prudence," he replied.

Prue stared at him for a split moment, trying to find her voice. "Get out! And stay away from us," Prue finally hissed, throwing his ring out to him and standing up abruptly.

The man sighed and stood up, carefully placing his ring back on his finger before looking back at her. "I'm staying at the Ballmark. What do you say; you and your sisters join me for dinner? Let's say tonight? We can talk," he suggested calmly.

"After how you abandoned us? How dare you!" Prue snapped in disbelief, shaking her head.

"Fiery temper. I like that. Reminds me of someone I know," he answered thoughtfully looking her over again.

"I'm nothing like you. I would never leave my responsibilities, my family," she retorted, carefully trying to keep her anger under control.

"I see we have some issues to work through," the man observed.

"Oh, we have the whole subscription," Prue agreed, the words barely more than a whisper. "Now, get out before I have you thrown out," she ordered.

"Is that anyway to talk to your father?" he asked rhetorically. He smirked before turning and leaving her.

Prue waited until she had heard the door close before collapsing into her chair and immediately grabbing the phone. "Piper Halliwell, please. Piper? I need to talk to you…" Prue spoke quickly, nervously, upset.

~PO4~

Café

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all made plans to meet for lunch after the word of Victor's return spread through the sisters. They met at an outside café where at first silence was the only greeting as they all tried to process this drastic change.

"I wonder why he went to you first. I mean, why not me or Phoebe?" Piper wondered, sounding a little upset.

"Piper, it's not like I won the lottery," Prue countered with a roll of her eyes. So far her sisters weren't taking it the way she had hoped. The way that would keep them from getting hurt again.

"What was he like? Did he ask about us?" Phoebe asked, looking hopefully up at Prue, who frowned at the question. Paige, feeling a little out of the conversation, just sat back in her chair to listen.

"Actually, no," Prue reluctantly answered and hastily jumped to make her little sisters feel better when Piper sighed and looked more upset and Phoebe bit her lip to quit from saying something. "Think about it. He abandoned us. He was a no-show for twenty years and then what, suddenly here he is. Why now?" she challenged.

"Maybe he just wants to be part of our lives?" Piper suggested, glancing at Prue hopefully.

Prue looked back at Piper and shook her head. "After all this time? Don't get your hopes up," she replied, trying to keep rational without hurting her sisters even more.

Piper looked silently down at her plate while Paige spoke up. "So, I know that I don't really belong in this conversation but have you thought that there might be another reason for him to come back now," Paige spoke for the first time. Her eyes flickered from Phoebe to Piper and back again.

"Like what?" Phoebe snapped, not liking where Paige was leading.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe it has something to do with what happened a few weeks ago… After you came home. In the attic," Paige hinted cautiously. Prue glanced intently at Paige as her youngest sister voiced exactly what she had been thinking.

"Coincidence. You're only suggesting it because you're mad that our dad was the one to come back instead of yours," Phoebe retorted icily. Paige's brown eyes flashed and she opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Piper.

"Phoebe!" she hissed while Prue narrowed her eyes warningly at her little sister.

"Well, then there's only one way to find out. Why wait for dinner? Let's go see him now," Phoebe suggested, shooting daggers at Paige who looked equally as mad.

"Will you be rational, Phoebe? Don't you find it a little suspicious that once we find out we're…" Prue trailed off angrily as a waitress came up to take her plate in front of her.

"Let me get that for you," the waitress offered, not noticing how angry Prue was from the interruption. Piper forced a polite smile to the waitress before she left.

Prue watched her go and then leaned forward, lowering her voice so as not to be heard. "Just when we find out we're witches he shows up, but when Mom dies he's nowhere to be found," she finished, taking a deep breath to calm herself.

"He sent us birthday cards," Phoebe quickly reminded Prue.

"Selective memory," Prue retorted, crossing her arms pointedly. "Grams always told us he was a threat to us. There is no reason to think that's changed," she added.

Piper took a deep breath before speaking her thoughts, knowing Prue wasn't going to agree with her. "Prue, it's not that I don't see your point… Paige's too, but you knew him. We didn't. Why can't we have a chance to know him now?" she asked, carefully avoiding eye contact with her elder sister.

Prue sighed and glanced at Piper trying to think of the best way to say what needed to be said. "Because we don't really know why he's here and until we do… we can't trust him," she explained. Piper bit her lip and looked back down at her plate while Phoebe just shook her head looking annoyed.

Paige was the first to break the silence that followed. "Well, since I don't really belong in this conversation. I'm going to go back to work. I'll see you guys later," Paige announced, still sounding angry. She got up abruptly from the table and left before any of the other three sisters could say anything.

~PO4~

The Hotel

At the Hotel Prue had said their father was staying at, Phoebe approached the room the secretary had directed was inhabited by him. She took a deep breath and then knocked softly on the door.

Through the door she heard a man's voice calling. "Entrée."

Phoebe quickly opened the door and pushed in nervously. She walked down the hall and halted as she saw a man getting a massage. She hesitated a moment before taking a step forward. "Daddy?" she asked, her voicing cracking from nerves.

The man looked over in surprise and pushed up from the massage table. "Well, well. Isn't this a nice surprise?" he said, smiling as he got to his feet for a better look at his daughter.

"I'm sorry just to show up like this… I know I was supposed to wait until dinner but I…" Phoebe rambled, biting her lip slightly.

"No, nonsense," he broke her off while putting on his bath robe. "Welcome, let me get a good look at you. This is my baby girl. Little…Piper?" he asked uncertainly as the massage lady left the room. Phoebe frowned looking crushed. 

"Phoebe…" Victor whispered, shaking his head.

"Yeah, that's okay. People confuse us all the time," Phoebe lied in an attempt to act as if it didn't faze her.

"Are you kidding? I should be slapped and persecuted. Let me make it up to you. How about some room service?" he offered, making his way to the phone behind Phoebe.

"I just ate actually," Phoebe replied quickly.

He turned around to face her again. "A drink? You are legal, right?" he inquired, causing Phoebe to smile.

"Barely, but no thanks," she assured him.

"A massage? I can call Lucy back," Victor suggested with a point to the door where the massage woman had just left.

Again Phoebe shook her head. "No really, I don't want anything," she insisted slowly. Victor shrugged and finally gave up. "I just wanted to look at you," Phoebe admitted a little embarrassed.

Victor smiled and took a few steps toward her. "It's like looking in a mirror, isn't it? You've got your Daddy's eyes, you know that?" he pointed out, laughing softly.

Phoebe nodded and laughed as well. "I noticed that," she agreed.

They fell silent for a moment before Victor finally asked. "How about a hug?" He outstretched his arms and after a moment's hesitation, Phoebe fell into him.

As they hugged Phoebe was thrown into a premonition.

Someone was handing The Book of Shadows to Victor, who smirked triumphantly as soon as he touched the book.

Phoebe was brought back to reality when the hotel phone began to ring loudly. Victor sighed and let her go to grab up the phone.

"Somehow they always manage to find me," he apologized as Phoebe backed away slowly.

"You know… its okay. I… I'll just see you at dinner. I've gotta go," she stammered, turning around and running out the door before Victor could stop her.

"Phoebe! Wait!" Victor called after her but she was already gone.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Outside the Manor, the mailman walked up to the front door, whistling as he checked that the address was correct. He stood outside the door for a moment and watched as his finger shifted into a key that would open the door. He looked around the neighborhood doing a last check before he unlocked the door and pushed inside. He walked purposely through the foyer and broke into a run as he reached the stairs, heading up onto the next floor. The mailman dropped his bag next to the attic door and tried to forcefully turn the knob to the locked attic door. He tried slamming the door down but it didn't budge. Finally, getting irritated, he kicked the door hard enough that it flung off its hinges and landed on the floor. He stepped over the mess and headed straight for the Book of Shadows that was in its usual place upon the pedestal. He wasted no time in grabbing the book and running back down the stairs. He crossed the threshold with the book and it magically left his hands and flung back into the Manor. The mailman threw his hands up in frustration and went back to pick it up. Keeping a firmer grip than before he crossed the threshold and stubbornly continued to try to pull the book out of the house. However, the book fought back and in a final act of desperation he tried to throw it out the door. As it hit the threshold, it glowed and slammed back to the ground as if it had hit a wall. The book glowed as he continued to try and pull it out of the house. Suddenly he heard a car door slam and he looked over his shoulder to see Prue walking up to the Manor, her eyes on her purse as she tried to find her keys. He quickly went back into the house, shutting the door behind him, and throwing the Book of Shadows into the living room. Before Prue entered, he shape shifted into Andy and walked farther into the Manor.

Prue entered the Manor and looked up in surprise to find Andy already in the house. "Andy? What are you doing here?" Prue asked, stopping dead in front of the door.

'Andy' spun around acting surprised to see her. "Oh! Door was open" 'Andy' lied casually as he strolled toward her.

"Again?" Prue asked, sounding frustrated.

"Yeah, I, uh, came by to check up and it was open. I looked around and everything appears to be in order," he replied as Prue set her paperwork down on the table beside the door. She froze as she saw the Book of Shadows lying on the floor in the living room. "Do you want me to check upstairs?" 'Andy' asked, pointing up the stairs.

Prue forced a smile and walked toward him, hoping he hadn't seen it. "Uh, no, no, that's okay, really," she assured him and then narrowed her eyes slightly, sending the book sliding under a shelf out of sight. "Oh and um, about tomorrow night. I've changed my mind. We're on," Prue added.  
'  
Andy' looked confused. "Excuse me?" he asked.

"Well, you'll never guess who popped back into my life after twenty years. Victor, my dad," she explained, looking away from his eyes to hide how much his surprise visit was affecting her.

"Your dad?" 'Andy' stated, nodding awkwardly.

"Yeah, he wants dinner and I would really rather avoid that. Too bad the game's not tonight," Prue lamented, misinterpreting his confusion. 'Andy' was about to say something when there was a knock on the Manor door and Cynda entered the house. "Hi, Cynda," Prue welcomed politely.

"Hey. Everything okay?" Cynda asked, glancing at 'Andy.'

"Yeah, thanks," Prue replied, smiling gratefully.

"Okay, bye," Cynda waved and left.

"Nice party last night," Prue offered as she left before turning to look back at 'Andy.'

'Andy' smiled slightly and glanced at her. "I guess I should be going too," he announced, leaning forward and kissing her lightly on the cheek before leaving.

Prue watched him leave and locked the door behind him. She went and picked up the book, looking at it curiously. She carried it back up to the attic where she halted, seeing the destruction of the attic door. "What the hell?" Prue asked though there was no one to hear her.

~PO4~

The Halliwell sisters were all in various parts of the kitchen discussing the second break-in of the Manor. Prue and Piper were shuffling through drawers trying to locate the phone book while Paige was sitting at the dining room table, pretending to read a book, but actually listening intently. Phoebe walked from the kitchen to sit at the table as well. Both of the youngest sisters stubbornly refused to talk to each other after the squabble earlier that morning.

"You don't know that for sure," Phoebe argued with Prue as she sat down.

"I know plenty. First someone rips off the attic door then the Book of Shadows is found downstairs. Isn't that enough?" Prue retorted, getting to her feet as Piper found the phone book in the drawer she was searching.

"Why would someone want the book?" Piper asked as she walked to the table where she sat the phone book down. "Here," she offered, passing the book to Prue, who had followed her.

"Obviously someone knows what it can do," Paige jumped in and ignored the look Phoebe shot her.

"Yeah, they want its power. Our power," Prue agreed, nodding slightly to Paige as she sat down across from Piper at the table.

Piper leaned forward and lowered her voice slightly for emphasis. "That would mean that it's someone who knows us and knows that we are witches," she observed, giving Prue a pointed look that Prue ignored as she jumped to accuse Victor.

"Yeah, someone like Victor," Prue agreed, voicing the thoughts that Piper had been telling her to keep silent.

"What? Dad?" Phoebe spoke up in disbelief. She sent a glare at Paige as if she expected the youngest Halliwell to say something, but Paige had gone back to pretending she was reading.

"Look, just think about it. The moment he shows up someone makes two attempts to grab the book. Coincidence? I think not," Prue argued, causing both Piper and Phoebe to look a little annoyed.

"The craft is a chick thing, Prue. It's passed down through the female line. There's a good chance that Dad doesn't even know we're charmed," Piper defended rationally.

"And there's just as good of a chance he does," Prue countered, causing Phoebe to look uncomfortable as she remembered her premonition of him getting the Book.

"What would he want with the Book? And why would he take it from us?" Piper retorted as Prue sighed and shook her head. Piper glanced over at Phoebe who was unusually silent. "Phoebe, help me out here… Phoebe," she prompted.

Phoebe was still silent and Paige glanced up from her book to stare curiously while Piper and Prue exchanged a confused glance. Phoebe took a deep breath before speaking again.

"Okay, let's just say for the sake of argument that he does want the book. Wouldn't he of taken it with him when he left? He wouldn't of left it behind," Phoebe pointed out while staring at Prue.

"Alright, we have to call the cops and report it as a break-in," Piper decided. They were out of options.

"And tell them what? That someone broke into our house to try and steal our broomsticks. I mean, please. Besides Andy has already been here," Prue countered while Phoebe gave her eldest sister a pointed glare.

"Oh, so Andy was here again? Talk about convenient. Did you ever think of pointing the finger at him?" she accused, receiving a deadly glare from Prue.

Paige snorted and rolled her eyes and Piper sat back in her chair, shaking her head. "In case you've forgotten, Prue left Andy at the party. We saw he never left until Prue came running back after the fright with the dog," Paige pointed out coldly. "Besides, it's Andy. That has to be the most ridiculous accusation I've ever heard. Including the ones on T.V." she added. Piper gave Phoebe a warning glare as it looked like her younger sisters were about to go at it.

"Andy was probably the one that scared Victor away," Prue agreed, carefully keeping her voice under control and watching her sisters intently. "Until we find out what's going on and whether Victor is involved or not… We have to hide the book. That or we can't leave the house."

"Well, then we hide the book because I'm going to dinner tonight. I want to see Dad," Piper replied, her voice a little icy.

"So do I," Phoebe insisted as she got up from the table and walked out of the kitchen.

"I've already seen him," Prue answered to Piper's silent question. Piper nodded looking disappointed but also knowing arguing would do nothing. She left the room after Phoebe to get ready for dinner. Prue and Paige were left at the table, both staring worriedly after their sisters.

~PO4~

Restaurant

Piper and Phoebe met Victor at the restaurant he had suggested later that night. Victor had made reservations at the fancy restaurant so they only waited a few minutes before being seated. Victor ordered the appetizer dish and it was immediately brought in and sat in the middle of the table.

"Girls, it's so nice to see you. It's not like we don't have a lot to talk about," he admitted as soon as they had all made themselves comfortable around the table.

"We do," Phoebe agreed enthusiastically. She glanced at Piper who raised her eyebrows at Phoebe's enthusiasm as she nibbled on a carrot taken from the appetizer plate. Phoebe smiled and spoke in a more neutral voice. "I mean, yeah, we have a few questions."

Victor laughed and turned his attention to Piper. "You know the last time we ate together you would only eat food that was white. I'm glad to see you have outgrown it," he commented, making Piper blush slightly.

"That's right… I was four," Piper realized, giggling softly at the vague memory.

Victor then turned his attention to Phoebe. "Phoebe, that would have made you what? One?" Victor asked and Phoebe nodded slightly. "You know, you couldn't walk yet, but you could swim. You were a fish," he announced, causing Phoebe to laugh. Piper glanced at her and couldn't help but join in. Victor watched them intently before speaking again. "This feels right doesn't it? This feels natural, almost like normal."

"Almost…" Piper replied, looking down at her plate. "It's just, um, well why? After all this time, why here? Why now?" she asked seriously.

"Well, I've heard the food is pretty good here and it is dinner time," Victor joked. Phoebe laughed while Piper forced a smile, trying to decide whether she was annoyed at his dodging or if she thought it was funny. Before anything else could be said the waiters brought their food out and placed it in front of them. "Bon appetite," he suggested.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

The beeping of the microwave announced that the food had finished heating up. Prue got up from her chair at the table and took a container out of the microwave. She poured the contents, consisting of broccoli, onto a plate and then looked up as the door bell sounded through the house. She slowly left the kitchen and approached the front door, hesitating slightly before pulling it open to see Andy leaning casually against the door frame.

"My plans for tonight fell through, figured I'd stop by," he explained the moment he saw the door open. Prue smiled slightly in surprise and Andy laughed at her expression. She rolled her eyes and stepped back, opening the door wider, to allow him through.

Before anything could be said footsteps signaled the approach of Paige from the stairs. "Prue? Who is it?" she called, having not turned the corner into the foyer. Paige came running in and halted as she saw Prue and Andy. "Hey, Andy," she greeted, a little embarrassed.

"Hey, Squirt," Andy returned, using Paige's childhood nickname.

Paige blushed slightly and glanced at her eldest sister, who was trying not to laugh, with pleading brown eyes. "Can I borrow your car? It's just that Piper and Phoebe took hers to meet…." Paige began and then trailed off seeing Prue frown slightly and hastily tried to cover it up. "They took hers and I have a date," she finished carefully.

Andy glanced between the sisters in confusion but didn't ask anything as Prue took her keys out of her purse and tossed them lightly to Paige. "Who do you have a date with?"

Prue asked curiously, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"It's just some guy at my work…" Paige tried and Prue raised her eyebrows. "It's not a big deal. You know, it's more for getting out of the house for awhile," She finally admitted to her sister's disbelieving look.

"Paige… about what Phoebe said," Prue started but was cut off by Paige.

"It doesn't matter, Prue. Really." Her eyes clearly telling Prue she didn't want to talk about it.

Prue nodded slightly. "Okay, just be careful," Prue allowed and watched her baby sister walk out the door. She turned back to Andy who had watched the conversation carefully.

"Sister trouble?" He asked, looking a little worried. Even with just the few moments of observation he could tell something was wrong. Prue appeared drained, while Paige looked as if she was putting up a brave front.

"It's a little bit more than that… You know with my dad showing up and all…" she explained, trying to appear nonchalant as she headed toward the kitchen.

She was stopped by Andy, who gently grabbed her arm and spun her back to face him. "Your dad? What about your dad?" Andy demanded in confusion.

Prue raised her eyebrows trying to judge if he was being serious. "I told you already… Didn't I? Earlier today. When you came… here?" she trailed off in confusion seeing no spark of memory from Andy.

Andy's eyes were filled with worry as he watched her. "I haven't been here since yesterday," he stated carefully and Prue bit her lip.

"Are you sure?" she asked, still disbelieving.

Andy looked as if he was thinking hard about it but nodded. "I'm fairly sure," Andy reiterated after a few moments of silence.

Prue ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "God, I must be more tired than I thought. I need coffee… you want coffee?" she asked pulling out of Andy's grip and heading back toward the kitchen to get it started.

After a moment's hesitation, Andy followed. "Sure," he agreed and then continued. "So you going to tell me about this Victor thing… and your sisters?" he asked carefully, seeing she needed to talk about it.

"It's kind of a long story," Prue warned, biting her lip. Truth be told she wasn't really sure where to start.

"I've got nothing planned," Andy countered lightly, taking a seat at the table.

Prue took a deep breath and passed a cup of coffee to Andy "Okay, well, basically I was at work this morning, working on some paperwork when there he was. He just showed up. Phoebe and Paige had an argument about him… Basically Phoebe blamed Victor leaving on Mom's affair with Paige's father," she began, trying desperately not to sound too upset.

"It was all a huge mess," she admitted.

"I can't believe it. How are you dealing?" he wondered, not taking his eyes off Prue as she moved to sit down across from him with her cup of coffee.

"Honestly, I'm not," she admitted, curling up in her chair.

"I don't blame you. What do you think he wants?" Andy asked gently.

"Dinner. Excluding Paige, obviously," Prue answered promptly, playing with her coffee cup. "Piper and Phoebe are there with him now," She added her voice barely more than a whisper. She shook her head slowly refusing to look at Andy. If she looked at Andy she wouldn't be able to hold it together any longer. "You know they just don't understand. They don't know him like I do. I can't believe I let them go…" she whispered and then bit her lip, knowing she couldn't have stopped them. "I can't believe they went," Prue corrected herself. She could understand Phoebe ignoring her advice. Phoebe always had, but Piper. She sighed heavily and was silent for a moment before continuing. "He's acting like no time has passed. Like I'm still his little girl and I'm not. There are things I want to tell him, I want him to know what he missed. You know, like the time I broke my arm, the day I  
finally passed my driver's test, our prom."

"Didn't we miss that too?" Andy couldn't help but ask rhetorically. He smiled softly and Prue couldn't help but smile in return.

The relief was only temporary and the smile fell. "I want him to know. I want him to want to know. And I'm sorry, but I also want to know where the hell he's been my whole life. Why didn't he come back until now? He needs to know that's not okay," she continued, her voice rising slightly in her anger. Prue looked up at Andy to see him listening intently to what she had been saying.

"So tell him," Andy finally challenged. Prue sighed and looked back down at her coffee. She wasn't sure if she was ready for this, but she knew he was right. "I'll drop you off," He added softly, his eyes never leaving her.

~PO4~

Restaurant

Andy left Prue outside the restaurant and she determinedly forced herself to stay calm as she entered the restaurant and saw her sisters with him. With her… father. Victor was the first to see her and he stood up as she approached. "Prudence," he greeted while Phoebe and Piper glanced behind them in surprise to see their eldest sister coming toward them.

"Did I miss much?" Prue asked coldly. She approached and then stopped just in front of him.

"Uh, just catch up. Dad was filling us in… memory lane," Phoebe explained nervously, glancing at Prue who appeared none-too-happy to be here.

"Has he mentioned where he's been all of our lives?" Prue wondered, not taking her eyes off the man in front of her to glance at her sisters though the question was directed to them.

"Prue…" Piper began trying to search for something to say that would relax her sister.

"I don't understand. If you can afford a spot like this why didn't you help out when Grams died? We actually could have used it then?" Prue interrupted while Victor sat back down in his chair watching her closely.

"Give him a chance, Prue. Dad's explained. The money, all this, it's new," Piper defended carefully with a glance up at her sister.

"It's okay, Piper. I'm a big boy. I didn't come back before because I was afraid I'd disappoint you," he explained while Phoebe bit her lip and looked pleadingly at Piper as Prue responded.

"Too late," Prue countered shortly.

"I wonder what's keeping that dessert," Piper hastily tried to change the subject. Phoebe smiled weakly at her effort but it was ignored by everyone else.

Victor stared calmly at Prue and waved his hand at the empty seat. "Please, sit down. Have something to eat," he offered and Prue shook her head.

"I'm not hungry," she replied and Victor smiled slightly

"Always in a hurry, Prue. You skipped crawling and went straight to walking," Victor reminisced while Prue narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, we're sharing memories. Well, I've got one of my own. Your back walking out the door," she accused. Victor looked away and Phoebe sighed, shaking her head slowly. Victor looked behind him to see the waiter coming back with their dessert. When he passed by Victor stuck his foot out, tripping the waiter who dropped the dessert. Piper gasped and threw out her hands causing the restaurant to freeze. There was silence in which the three sisters looked around them and exchanged fearful glances. Finally Piper got up from her seat and took the Flambeau from the falling waiter's hands. Just as she grabbed it the restaurant unfroze and the waiter fell flat on his face behind her. "Who wants Flambeau?" Piper asked cheerfully, changing the topic again.

"Nice reflexes," Victor commented, smiling knowingly at Piper who frowned slightly. "Hmmm… Now let me get this straight. Piper, you freeze time. Prue, don't you move objects? And what's your special trick, Phoebe? Premonitions? That would leave the other one with teleportation," he guessed, looking at each sister in turn. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe exchanged stunned looks. "Perhaps we should talk about this elsewhere?" he suggested.


	6. Thank You For Not Morphing Part 2

The Halliwell Manor

Back in the Halliwell Manor Conservatory, Piper and Phoebe were sitting comfortably on the couches reading magazines. The mailman walked in behind them, neither of the Halliwells noticing his approach until he was right next to Phoebe. Piper jumped to her feet looking aggravated.

"What are you doing here?" Piper demanded, placing her hands on her hips for emphasis.

"What do you think?" the mailman asked rhetorically, his eyes narrowing at Piper.

Phoebe jumped up beside Piper from her couch and faced the mailman. "Get out now!" she ordered.

"No… You have to get out," he retorted pointing at Piper and Phoebe.

"We've got it under control," Phoebe snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

"No you don't. Because they're on their way back," he countered and then shape shifted in Fritz, looking smug. "I thought you were in charge. Look, shape shift back into yourselves and we'll get back to the book later," Fritz decided as 

Phoebe shape shifted into Marshall and Piper shape shifted into Cynda. "Great plan, Marshall," He praised sarcastically.

"Don't piss me off, Fritz," Marshall warned him. "How was I supposed to know Prue would come back with her sisters?" he added, walking towards Fritz.

"The little witch was supposed to be on a date with that cop," Cynda agreed, looking irritated.

"What? You really think you would have been able to trick Prue into getting the book out of the house?" Fritz asked in disbelief.

"Well, we sure as hell can't now, can we?" Marshall retorted, glaring at Fritz.

"So what now genius?" Fritz wondered, his tone showing his sarcasm.

Cynda began to laugh as if it was obvious and shape shifted into a demonic form. "We kill them," she hissed.

~PO4~

Outside, three of the sisters and Victor pulled up in Piper's van and walked toward the front door.

~PO4~

"Cynda… heel. Plenty of time for that later… heel," Marshall ordered as Prue placed her key into the lock of the front door and opened it.

As they walked in three crows squawked and flew out the door. The sisters ducked and Victor smiled slightly. "Friends of yours?" he asked sarcastically. Piper frowned looking embarrassed and Prue grabbed her hand pulling her inside followed by Phoebe and finally Victor.

~PO4~

In the conservatory, Victor, Piper, and Phoebe were sitting on the couches looking at some of the many pictures around the room. Prue came walking in while they were laughing at a particularly funny picture.

"Someone left a window open which is probably how the birds got in… What is so funny?" Prue asked, seeing them all surrounding a picture.

"Do you remember the day this was taken?" Piper wondered taking the photo and handing it to Prue, who sat down in an armchair before taking it.

"Yeah, family picnic. It rained," Prue replied, smiling slightly at the memory while Piper watched her hopefully.

"And your mother packed us all up and she brought us all home and we had the picnic right here in the living room," Victor added, waving his arm around the conservatory laughing. "Remember that Prue?"  
Prue's eyes flickered up to look at him. "Barely," she answered coldly.

"Prue…" Phoebe pleaded while Victor nodded slightly and reached for another picture.

"This one… This one was at one of your piano recitals. Not a very good shot… my fault. I had to take the pictures that day. Your mother was too busy holding her breath. If you look closely, you see there. That's her," he pointed out after approaching Prue and handing her the photo.

"I never noticed that before…" Prue admitted softly, setting the picture down carefully next to her.

Victor looked over and reached for another one. "Uh oh… This used to be a five by seven. When I was still in it," he explained, turning it around so that Piper and Phoebe could see it too.

Piper laughed softly and Phoebe looked a little embarrassed. "I think Grams cut you out," Phoebe responded, trying not to laugh too much.

"There's a whole bunch of stuff in the attic. Grams left us so many things," Piper added, pointing up the stairs.

"That's not all she left us," Phoebe commented eagerly.

"Phoebe, let's not go there," Prue ordered sending a glare at her little sister.

"What? It's not like he doesn't already know. And I'm sorry, but it's kind of a relief to talk to someone about it," Phoebe pointed, glancing defiantly at Prue.

"Does anybody want coffee?" Piper suggested hastily, trying to change the subject to keep a fight from breaking out.

"I mean, one day I'm a member of the 'Y' generation with average hair and a thing for caffeinated beverages and the next I am a witch," Phoebe continued as if Piper hadn't said anything.

Piper stood up hastily and turned to Victor who sat down looking amused. "Dad, do you take cream or, um, sugar with that?" Piper asked, walking towards the kitchen but ended up stopping next to Prue.

"I just read from the book and WHAM! I'm Tabitha!" Phoebe added enthusiastically. Prue sent a frustrated glare at Phoebe who didn't notice and continued. "The only thing is, I got stuck with the power to see the future. How uncool is that?"

"Well, from what your mother always said it was actually considered to be one of the more desirable powers," Victor answered.

"Unless you see things you don't desire…" Phoebe countered causing Victor to look at her curiously.

"So, how long have you known? About us, our powers? How long?" Prue demanded, her arms crossed suspiciously.

Victor turned his gaze to meet his eldest daughter. "I didn't. I knew there was a possibility. That's why I came back. To see. It must have happened after your grandmother died," he guessed, his gaze flickering from Prue and Piper back to Phoebe.

"Yep! I just read an incantation from the book and…" Phoebe trailed off being interrupted by Prue.

"Phoebe!" she snapped warningly, her icey blue-grey eyes throwing daggers at her younger sister.

"Ah, the Book of Shadows. Not exactly summer reading. Is it still in the attic?" he asked, not noticing the stare war going on between the three sisters. "You know I haven't seen it in years. Mind if I have a look?" he wondered. In response, 

Prue narrowed her eyes dangerously at him while Piper frowned and looked at him suspiciously.

~PO4~

The Shape Shifting Neighbors' House

The sound of objects being broken and snapped could be heard from outside the house as Cynda went through obliterating everything she got her hands on. Fritz and Marshall stood back watching her.

"Disappointed…" Cynda hissed after throwing down a glass vase that shattered on the floor. She looked to her brothers and Marshall stepped forward.

"Patience, my sweet," he told her, putting his hands up for emphasis.

"Patience is highly overrated. We could have destroyed them right there," Cynda countered, fuming.

"And then we'd have three dead witches. Where would that put us?" Marshall retorted, knowing that a grief stricken fourth sister wouldn't be willing to give them the book.

"Satisfied…" Cynda answered shortly, taking a deep breath.

"It actually would have set my idea up perfectly. Killing three of the witches and forcing the fourth to get the book out," Fritz jumped in looking from Cynda to Marshall.

"Let me explain this once again for the cerebrally impaired… These are not school girls we're dealing with. They are good witches. We cannot alert them to our presence. At their full strength, battling them… would be unpleasant. However, once we possess the book. We get its powers. We weaken theirs and they're easy prey," Marshall explained slowly for his siblings to understand.

Fritz nodded and stood up to face Marshall. "You know, that sounds great in theory, but, um, we've already tried everything!" He shouted.

Marshall glanced over at him calmly and smiled mischievously. "We still have Victor."

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"What exactly are you accusing me of Prue?" Victor calmly asked his eldest daughter from where he stood by the window.

"Figure it out," Prue snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

Phoebe stepped between her and Victor, turning against Prue while Piper stayed in the back watching the fireworks. "Come on, Prue. Take it easy," Phoebe shot back, her voice rising while Prue turned on her.

"Are you kidding me? Am I the only who sees what's going on here?" she yelled rhetorically. Phoebe turned away in frustration, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically.

"Can't we all just take a deep breath…?" Piper began, getting to her feet, but she was cut off by Prue turning back to look at her.

"Think about it, Piper. He wines and dines and now he's back in the house he hasn't set foot in for twenty years and the first thing he asks is 'Where's the Book of Shadows?'" the eldest Halliwell interrupted.

Piper looked down at her hands while Phoebe shook her head angrily. "You're just looking for something to blame him for!" Phoebe accused.

Prue didn't respond and stared straight at Victor. "Admit it. Tell them why you're here," she challenged, her eyes narrowing dangerously at her father. Victor looked up to meet his daughter's gaze.

"Prue, stop!" Piper pleaded from where she stood.

Prue ignored her and continued talking to her father. "For the first time in your life, Victor, tell them the truth," she insisted and he gave her a slight nod.

"Alright, fine," he agreed taking a few steps closer to Prue, his eyes never leaving her. "You're right. I am after the book. That's exactly the reason why I came back," Victor admitted, his eyes flickering to Phoebe who stood beside Prue and then to Piper in the back.

"Dad…" Phoebe whispered, sounding hurt.

"But not for the reasons you would like to believe. It would make it easy for you, Prue, wouldn't it? If I were evil? Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, I'm not. I'm here to protect you," he continued.

"Yeah right," Prue breathed sarcastically.

"To protect us from what?" Piper asked cautiously, her arms crossing her chest.

Victor looked over at Piper hopefully. "From yourselves! That's why I want that damn book. It's where the Power of Four started and where it must end," he insisted, walking past Prue and Phoebe toward Piper.

Prue and Phoebe turned to watch him. "But… it's part of us. Part of who we are," Phoebe protested in disbelief.

"That's what your mother believed too. Before they killed her," Victor replied, looking back at Phoebe.

Piper gasped and took a step back. "What are you saying?" she asked, glancing from Victor to Prue for an answer, her eyes wide.

"You have no idea what evil is out there," Victor began to explain but was cut off by Prue who was quickly losing what little patience she had to begin with.

"Oh, I think we have a pretty good idea," Prue snapped, pointedly looking at Victor who sighed in frustration and moved back toward her. Trying to make her understand.

"Listen to me, Prue. That book is a magnet for evil. As long as you have it, as long as you use it, you're in danger. All of you," he tried to explain but it just made Prue even angrier and she advanced toward him quickly.

"You are unbelievable! After all these years of being an absentee dad then you just waltz back into our lives and tell us how to live!" she shouted. This time neither Piper nor Phoebe held Prue back as she accused their father.

"I never wanted you to have those powers in the first place. I battled with your grandmother after your mom died. She wanted you find out you were witches as you grew up. I didn't. I fought for you, hard. But your grandmother was too strong," Victor argued desperate for them to understand.

This time Piper was the one that approached, her eyes narrowed. "Wait! You're blaming Grams for why you disappeared. She loved us! She raised us!" Piper exclaimed, her voice a higher pitch from her anger.

"What'd she do? Put a spell on you?" Prue asked sarcastically.

Victor looked away shaking his head. "Believe me, nothing short of that would have kept me away. You have to believe me. All I want is what's best for you," he replied sighing heavily and turning around toward the door before spinning on 

Phoebe. "Phoebe, you believe me don't you?" Phoebe bit her lip uncertainly and looked away.

"We've done fine without you," Prue spoke after Phoebe made it obvious she wasn't sure what to believe.

"Prue! You can't fight this," he tried again, looking only at her. "I couldn't," he admitted.

"I'm not you," Prue countered, her voice cracking slightly as her emotions began to spill over.

"Are you sure? Are you sure you can protect your sisters forever?" Victor challenged.

Phoebe spoke up in Prue's defense. "We'll protect each other," she insisted shortly.

"Then you'll die together," he shouted.

"No one can hurt us as bad as you!" Prue yelled, fighting to keep her tears back. The phone rang loudly, the sound echoing through the silent house. Immediately after the first ring the phone flew straight to Prue's hand though she hadn't taken her eyes off Victor. Piper and Phoebe watched them nervously as Prue hit the answer button and put the phone to her ear. "Halliwell," She answered shortly and fell silent as the person on the other end spoke. Piper's eyes widened slightly and she ran to get a pen and paper from a drawer before scribbling something down. Phoebe watched them confused while Victor and Prue continued their stare war despite the daughter being on the phone. "Yeah. Give me ten  
minutes," Prue replied and slammed the phone onto the table beside her. She gave a last glare at Victor before taking the piece of paper Piper handed her and pushing past him to grab her coat.

"What is it?" Phoebe asked glancing at Piper.

"Prue's car broke down. She's going to go get Paige," Piper breathed her eyes flickering pointedly at Prue.

"What? That little bastard child still lives here too?" Victor demanded, hearing Paige's name. Piper's eyes narrowed dangerously, Prue spun around to face Victor, and Phoebe frowned. Suddenly, Victor was thrown back into the doorframe as Prue let all her anger and frustration out through the use of her power. Piper and Phoebe stared in surprise as their father fell to the ground and looked at Prue for an explanation.

"Don't talk about Paige like that…" Prue warned carefully while Victor rose to his feet and glared at his eldest daughter.

"Her damn whitelighter father ruined my marriage," Victor retorted before turning on his heel and leaving the Manor, slamming the door behind him. Piper and Phoebe gave Prue looks of disbelief. Prue ignored them and went up to her room to grab a few things before going out to get Paige. Piper disappeared into the kitchen, the door slamming echoed through the house while Phoebe sat down on the couch, her head in her hands.

~PO4~

Victor's Hotel Room

Victor walked into his hotel room and slammed the door behind him. He walked into the main sitting room and collapsed on his couch, not bothering to turn on any of the lights. As soon as he sat down the lights flickered on and he looked up to see Marshall, Cynda, and Fritz standing in the door to the small dining room.

"Hello, Victor," Marshall greeted and walked toward him. "Where have you been?" he asked conversationally.

"How did you get in here?" Victor wondered, not seeming surprised or fazed in the slightest.

"I think you should be little more concerned with what we're doing in here," Marshall replied, advancing until he stood right in front of Victor.

Victor chuckled and pulled out a cigar as Marshall walked off to stand beside Fritz on the other side of the room. "I was wondering when evil would rear its ugly head," Victor admitted, watching the sibling shape shifters as he placed the cigar in his mouth.

"Consider it reared," Marshall allowed. "I don't know the kind of people you're used to dealing with, but I'd lay serious coin that they aren't willing to rip you into a million pieces and dance on your entrails," he continued casually while Cynda grinned, appearing excited at the thought.

"Ah… So you're lawyers? And here I was just assuming you were shape shifters," Victor joked.

"Those are clever words for a man about to be an appetizer," Fritz remarked while approaching Victor from the side.

"Cocky words for a man that can't get a simple book out of the house," Victor countered and Fritz clenched his fists ready to swing at him. "Close your mouth, I mean it's obvious. You're going to shape shift into me and try to get to the girls that way. Am I right? It won't work," he assured as Fritz cast a glance back at Marshall.

"Why not?" Cynda demanded.

Victor looked from Cynda to Marshall. "Mind if I poke holes?" he asked and Marshall shrugged.

"Poke away," Marshall allowed curiously.

"After tonight, the girls won't let me or anything that looks like me back into their lives let alone the house. I have officially been kicked out," Victor explained as Cynda approached slowly. "There is however, one sister I can reach, Phoebe."

"So why don't I just become you… and I'll reach her," Cynda suggested, leering down at Victor.

"Because only her real father would know what buttons to push. The ones that will get me back in. If you kill me, you'll never know what they are. You'll never get back into the house and you'll never get the Book of Shadows."

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

The next morning Piper and Prue sat down at the dining room table for breakfast. They had their backs to each other and were absentmindedly picking at their food. The sounds of footfalls heading toward them alerted them of the approach of someone but neither reacted to it.

"Look, Prue. I called the auto repair guys and they said the water pump thingy has a leak or something. They're getting an estimate…" Paige began coming into the kitchen and then trailed off when no one appeared to even notice her entrance. "Are you guys still not talking to each other?" she asked skeptically. Again no response. Paige rolled her eyes and grabbed an apple off the table as she sat down with the unresponsive sisters. She had only been sitting for a few moments before Phoebe came in staring pointedly between Prue and Piper. She stood there for a moment expecting some kind of response.

"Good morning, Phoebe," Phoebe told herself, expecting one of them to take the hint. She glanced at Paige who just shrugged and looked away. Phoebe shook her head in irritation and grabbed a napkin off the table and waved it in the air. 

"Uh, guys. Can we call a truce, just for five minutes please?" she asked and was relieved when all of her sisters looked up. She took a deep breath before speaking again. "I have a confession. You know when we agreed to not see Dad? Yeah, well, um, I did," Phoebe admitted, sitting her cup of coffee on the table.

"Hello… I was with you remember?" Piper replied, looking at Phoebe as if she was crazy.

Phoebe shook her head slowly. "No, by myself, before dinner. And I had a premonition about Dad when he hugged me. He was stealing the Book of Shadows," Phoebe explained and then glanced at Paige. "Yeah, you were right about him, Paige, and you, Prue," she admitted, looking at them apologetically. "I didn't want the premonition to be true. I was hoping, praying, that there was a perfectly good explanation. Hoping that, that he was really here to be with us. I just wanted him back in our lives… He's our Dad…" she finished in a whisper.

Prue immediately got up from the table and pulled her little sister into a tight hug. "I know, Phoebe," she whispered while Piper wiped her eyes and Paige looked down at the table.

Phoebe let Prue go and looked back at the youngest Halliwell. "And I… didn't mean what I said yesterday. I just didn't want to believe that. It was… easier for me to think you were just mad than that you could have been right…" Phoebe added slowly.

Paige smiled slightly and approached Phoebe who pulled her into a hug, much like Prue had just done for her. "Oh, we're doing the hugging thing again…" Paige complained jokingly to lighten the mood. Prue smiled and Piper bit her lip to keep from laughing at their baby sister's comment.

"I really am sorry, Paigey…" Phoebe insisted and she felt Paige nod slightly.

"It's okay, Pheebs. Really," she whispered in return.

They were pulled apart by reality when Piper spoke up in surprise. "Hey, look," she called getting up from the table and walking toward the foyer. "It's Dad's ring…" she explained, picking it up off the ground. "What's it doing here?" Piper handed it to Prue who looked at it closely.

"It must have slipped off when he, uh… fell… when he fell." Phoebe answered, glancing carefully at Prue who looked up at her for a moment.

Paige glanced around the area curiously. "He fell? What'd he trip over? Air?" she asked in confusion.

"More like a blast of air…" Piper murmured, giggling. She was relieved when Prue laughed softly and Phoebe joined in.

Paige still looked confused and kept glancing from sister to sister. Suddenly her eyes widened in comprehension. "You!" she accused giggling and pointing a finger at Prue. "That is so awesome! I mean not awesome that he… fell, but that… never mind," Paige trailed off, appearing stumped. The other three sisters laughed harder at their baby sister's expression and Paige couldn't help but join in.

"We'll have it sent back to the hotel…" Prue offered after a few moments, sitting the ring down on the end table. The other three sisters nodded in agreement.

~PO4~

Phoebe ran down the driveway to pick up the recently delivered paper that was lying on the side walk. As she came back up she spotted Marshall and Fritz leaning against their car and she waved politely, starting to back up to the Manor. They waved back and she turned around only to find Victor just behind her, preventing her from going back up the driveway. She gasped and backed away as Victor approached.

"Don't be afraid," he told her softly, looking over her shoulder at Marshall and Fritz.

"What are you… you have to leave," Phoebe replied, trying to get around him.

"Phoebe, please. This is very important," Victor insisted, glancing nervously from the shape shifters back to his youngest daughter.

"I can't… I don't want to talk to you anymore," Phoebe insisted.

"Phoebe, you gotta get the book out of the house," he breathed, trying to make her understand.

"You have to leave," she countered, pushing by him only for him to grab her arm and spin her back to face him.

"Phoebe trust me. Look," Victor whispered, jerking her arms slightly as Marshall and Fritz advanced from behind him. Phoebe was thrown into a premonition. It was the same as before except it went farther.

The Book of Shadows was handed to Victor who grinned triumphantly. Victor shape shifted into Marshall and turned to join Fritz and Cynda.

Phoebe gasped and when she became aware of her surroundings she found Marshall and Fritz beside her.

Marshall grabbed hold of Victor's arm, making him let Phoebe go. "Excuse me, hey, is this guy bothering you?" Marshall asked Phoebe kindly with a point at Victor.

"Uh, no. This is my, uh… This is Victor," Phoebe explained awkwardly, backing up slightly.

"We were just saying goodbye," Victor added, looking toward Marshall and Fritz calmly.

Phoebe forced a smile and feigned buoyancy. "Yeah, I gotta run," she answered, waving quickly to her neighbors and dashing back up the steps to the Manor.

The shape shifters watched her leave and then spun to look at Victor who shrugged. "What? Don't you trust me?" he asked rhetorically.

Phoebe pushed the front door open and bolted inside, not even bothering to shut the door behind her. "Dad's not after the book. It's Marshall," she called through the house running up the stairs.

Prue and Paige walked out of the kitchen and met Phoebe at the bottom of the stairs. "It's what?" Prue asked in confusion, glancing at Paige who just shrugged in reply.

"My premonition, it wasn't Dad. Gotta find a spell and banish them," Phoebe explained cryptically, taking the steps two at a time.

"Banish who?" Prue demanded and Phoebe spun around to face the confused Prue and Paige.

"The neighbors. They're shape shifters. Fritz and Marshall and the…" Phoebe trailed off as Piper walked in with Cynda who was holding a plastic container.

"Cookies? Just baked," Cynda called offering the sisters one from the container.

Paige raised her eyebrows. "Since when do evil people offer us cookies?" Paige asked herself under her breath.

Prue hit her lightly on the arm and feigned welcome as Fritz strolled in casually. "Hey, door was unlocked," he explained, coming to stand by Cynda and Piper. Phoebe glanced nervously at him and tried to casually walk up the stairs.

"Where you going, Pheebs?" Piper queried, taking a few steps toward her other sisters. She glanced at Prue and her smile faded as Prue silently filled her in.

"Uh, just to get something," Phoebe replied quickly and then looked at Cynda with deceptively pleading eyes. "Will you save me a cookie?" Cynda nodded and laughed pleasantly.

Phoebe thanked her and took off up the stairs again, leaving Prue, Piper, and Paige huddled together at the bottom of the steps.

As Phoebe disappeared up the steps Victor walked into the room where everyone was gathering. "Daddy's home," he called, causing the remaining sisters to freeze and glance at him.

~PO4~

In the attic, Phoebe ran up to a makeshift closet and threw the clothes aside revealing the Book of Shadows.

"Come on, come on," she whispered under her breath as she frantically flipped pages and then stopped in irritation. "I have no idea what I'm looking for," Phoebe admitted to herself. In response, the pages of the book began to flip on their own. "I could take a hint…" The pages stopped flipping and Phoebe quickly read the spell on the page.

"When in this circle that is home,  
Safety's gone and evils roam,  
Rid all beings from these walls,  
Save sisters four now heed our call."

she whispered trying to memorize it. She began to back away and closed her eyes repeating the spell to herself before turning and dashing back down the stairs. Phoebe joined her sisters at the foot of the stairs and caught sight of Victor (1). "Dad… You can't be here, you have to leave now," she told him. From around another corner of the house another Victor (2) appeared to join the crowd.

"Whoa! Time out. What's going on here?" Piper exclaimed, pointing between the two Victors.

"Don't worry about it, sweetie. Everything's going to be fine," Victor (1) soothed gently.

"Don't trust him," Victor (2) insisted.

"Wait, last week we had no dad and now we have two?" Piper questioned quizzically, looking for an explanation.

"Phoebe, remember, remember when you were little and you were afraid of the dark and I would leave the hall light on and the door open just a crack?" Victor (1) asked stepping closer to the sisters. Prue, Piper, and Paige glanced back at Phoebe, who looked worried before backing up a step and turning back.

"Oh that's original. What kid isn't afraid of the dark?" Victor (2) snapped, coming up to stand beside the other Victor.

"Prue! She's never been afraid of anything," Victor (1) retorted, pointing at Prue. Fritz and Cynda watched the discussion from the side, inconspicuously moving closer to the sisters.

"Very true," Paige commented from behind Piper, exchanging worried glances with Phoebe.

"Lucky guess," Victor (2) replied and then glanced at the sisters. "I said I came back to protect you. Now there's only one way to do it. Kill us both," he continued dramatically. 

Victor (1) cast him a look of disbelief. "You're bluffing…" he stated shortly.

"Am I? Just do it because I want to go out with a bang," Victor (2) countered.

"Do it, Phoebe," Prue ordered glancing to look at Phoebe who shook her head slightly.

"The spell will kill everyone including Dad," she responded.

"It's the only way…. Prudence," Victor (2) reiterated, watching them carefully.

Paige glanced around the two Victors to see the ring Prue had placed on the end table. "Ring," she whispered under her breath and focused it to appear in Victor's (2) hand. She looked at Prue to make sure that was okay and Prue gave a slight nod. Victor (2) didn't take his eyes off Paige as he placed the ring on his finger.

"Phoebe now!" Prue instructed and Phoebe closed her eyes and began the chant.

"When in this circle that is home,  
Safety's gone and evils roam,  
Rid all beings from these walls,  
Save sisters four, now heed our call….  
When in this circle that is home,  
Safety's gone and evils roam…

Daddy!" she trailed off and screamed as Victor fell to his knees and the shape shifters began to convulse and melt.

"It's okay. Keep it going," Victor encouraged and the other three sisters joined Phoebe in the chant.

"Rid all beings from these walls,  
Save sister four, now heed our call."

They finished together and the shape shifters disappeared leaving Victor on the floor. Prue was the first down the steps, running toward him followed closely by Piper and Phoebe while Paige stayed back by the stairs. Prue reached down to help him up.

"For a moment there I wasn't sure what you would do," Victor admitted softly, looking at his daughters.

"For a moment there neither did we," Prue replied, glancing gratefully back at Paige who smiled slightly before turning and disappearing up the steps.

"I thought you didn't want us to use our magic," Phoebe spoke her thoughts aloud from where she stood beside Piper.

"I didn't. Not as long as I still thought of you as my little girls. But you're obviously not anymore," he explained.

"We're still your little girls we're just…" Piper began and Prue smiled taking over her train of thought.

"…Witches," Prue and Piper giggled softly and Victor glanced between them.

"Yeah… witches. Who obviously don't need your old man to protect you from anything," he agreed softly as he pulled his eldest daughter into their first hug since he'd left those years ago.

~PO4~

Prue sat on the edge of a table in the conservatory while Piper and Phoebe listened intently to her conversation with Andy on the phone. They each took their turn shooting teasing remarks at Prue that she couldn't return because of being on the phone.

"No, Andy, I'm fine really. Dad's gonna be here any minute so can I take a rain check on dinner? … Okay, thanks for the good advice," Prue was saying while Piper and Phoebe giggled about the latest remark and Prue shot a good-natured glare at them. "Bye," she finished and hung up. Before she could say anything to her two giggling sisters, Phoebe spoke up. "So, he's Dad now?" she asked curiously and Prue rolled her eyes.

"Yes, Phoebe. He is. And by the way my dress looks good on you but…" Prue hinted while Phoebe frowned and gave her eldest sister a pleading look.

"I don't have any nice clothes, Prue," she pleaded and Piper smirked at the all too familiar conversation.

"Dad said it was casual," Prue reminded her.

"I don't care. I want to look nice for him. Who knows how long it will be before we see him again," Phoebe countered in her baby Phoebe voice.

"You don't think he's going to stay around?" Piper asked, glancing at her sisters.

"Well, let's just say I no longer have a romanticized image of him. And I'm glad of that actually. At least Dad is real now," Phoebe replied slowly.

"And at least he's not a monster which is very reassuring since we share his genes," Prue added jokingly, causing Phoebe to laugh.

"I'm just glad he came back no matter how long he stays. It's nice feeling like a normal family again… Whatever that means," Piper offered and Phoebe nodded enthusiastically at the comment.

"Hey guys, your Dad here yet?" Paige called as she made her way down the stairs to join them, dressed up as well.

"Not yet," Piper answered, looking her over curiously.

"Are you coming with us?" Phoebe asked hopefully and Paige smiled at the offer but shook her head.

"Nope. I'm going on another date," she explained and Prue raised her eyebrows.

"Same guy as last night?" Prue wondered while Phoebe and Piper exchanged confused glances.

"I think he's a keeper… At least for awhile," Paige replied, nodding slightly and Prue smirked. "Anyways, I gotta go. Don't worry, he's picking me up so your car keys are safe," she added as an afterthought before giving Piper a quick hug, as she was the closest, and made her way outside to meet her date. Piper and Phoebe immediately attacked Prue with details on her date.

Paige walked out the Manor and halted as she recognized Victor outside the house holding a small package. He smiled a little in greeting and Paige forced an awkward smile in return. "I was hoping you would come out before your sisters," he explained and Paige looked at him in confusion. "I… wanted to talk to you for a minute. Is now okay?" Victor wondered, glancing at her dressy attire.

"Uh… Yeah. I guess," Paige answered biting her lip slightly.

"I wanted to apologize. I said some pretty nasty things about you when you weren't here and what happened really had nothing to do with you. I'm sorry I blamed you for it. I should have realized it earlier and… thanks for saving my life with the ring idea," Victor offered her quickly.

Paige appeared stunned and was silent for a moment. "Mr. Bennett…" she began politely but he interrupted her.

"Please, no need to be professional," he told her and Paige smiled slightly and started again.

"Okay, then, Victor, I do understand why you would be mad and its okay… I won't say it didn't hurt, but I really appreciate the apology. I think everyone in this family has or has had something they needed to get over lately," she replied carefully and then noticed the package in his hand.

Victor followed her eyes to it and handed it to her. "Would you give this to your sisters?" he asked and Paige took it from him in confusion.

"Why can't you give it to them at dinner?" she wondered and Victor looked away for a moment. "You're leaving…" Paige guessed softly.

"Something's come up. I have leave town," he explained and Paige didn't press for more information.

"I'll make sure they get it," she promised. Victor nodded and turned to leave but Paige followed him a few steps a little nervously. He turned back toward her questioningly. "Could you answer a question for me?"

"If I can," Victor answered looking curious.

Paige took a deep breath before continuing. "Prue told me you called my father a whitelighter… What is that?"

"Whitelighters are like guardian angels for witches… That 'teleportation' you do. They call it orbing," Victor explained and Paige sighed in relief.

"So I'm half angel?" she asked curiously and Victor nodded. "Thanks." With that, Victor turned and left leaving Paige with the package. She glanced down at it and went back into the house to find her sisters still gossiping about her date. They looked up in surprise as she entered. "Here… I found this on the steps," Paige lied, knowing Victor would rather keep it anonymous, and Prue took the package from her, opening it curiously.

"Why haven't you left yet?" Piper queried in confusion.

"Oh, he's not here yet," Paige offered casually as Prue began to read the contents of the package. 

The doorbell sounded and Piper and Paige went to answer it. They came back in followed by a handsome young man with light hair. Phoebe's eyes widened and she looked at Paige who read her unspoken question and shook her head. Prue glanced up and noticing Paige's silent answer guessed he was the handyman who was due to show up. "Hi. You must be Mr. Wyatt," she guessed politely.

"The Handyman?" Phoebe asked skeptically, looking up at him curiously.

"Call me, Leo," he wished quickly, causing Phoebe to smile. Piper glared at her and Paige bit her lip to keep from laughing.

"Gladly," Phoebe replied, ignoring Piper's glare.

Leo laughed slightly and then looked around at the Manor with interest. "This place is, uh, you don't find many like this anymore," he stated, placing his hand on the door frame carefully.

Piper smiled and looked around at it as well. "Yeah… it's kind of falling apart," Piper admitted and Leo smiled.

"The problems not the Manor. It's the manner in which it was treated," he explained, looking around at all four sisters. "I would love to see more," Leo prompted politely and Phoebe jumped at the opportunity.

"And I would love to show it to you. The attic is right this way," she began, pushing Piper out of the way and leading Leo toward the stairs.

Prue, who had read the package by now, frowned and looked up at her sisters. "Guys… He's not coming," she whispered.

Phoebe spun around to look at Prue before turning back to Leo. "Oh, I'll be right there Leo," Phoebe called and then walked back into the room to stand beside Paige.

"Who's not coming?" Piper asked running forward to read over Prue's shoulder. Phoebe cocked her head in confusion and Paige feigned ignorance.

"Dad, but he sent this. Um… 'Girls, something's come up and I had to leave town. Can't make dinner, probably best if we let the dust settle anyway. I know there's a lot you would like to forget, but here's what I remember. Love, Dad,'" Prue read slowly and then held up a video tape. Piper took it from her trying to search for a label while Phoebe looked away.

Paige was finally picked up for her date as the other three sisters made their way to the couches to watch the video. It was taken the Christmas before Victor had left and therefore the year before Paige was born. Phoebe was one, making Piper three, and Prue five. They were all opening presents. Victor leaned over and gave Prue a kiss on the cheek while little Piper ran to the camera showing off some of her unwrapped gifts. Piper ran to him to help get them open and Victor picked her up and lifted her playfully into the air, causing little Piper to laugh. The camera switched to baby Phoebe who kept pointing at the new Barbie she'd received before fading out, leaving the adult Prue, Piper, and Phoebe smiling at the memories resurfaced with watery eyes.


	7. Dead Man Dating Part 1

The Halliwell Manor

Prue looked up from making her morning cup of coffee as the doorbell rang through the house. She listened closely for any sign of her sisters moving to answer the door, but upon hearing nothing except running water from the bathroom, set her cup down and walked toward the front door. She pulled it open and halted in surprise as she saw Andy on the other side of the threshold. Prue immediately smiled at the unexpected visit from her boyfriend.

"Andy, hi," she greeted pleasantly, leaning casually against the front door, her blue eyes searching his.

Andy returned the smile and began his usual excuse for being on her doorstep. "I was…" he hesitated before deciding to be truthful to change things up. "… nowhere near the neighborhood. Thought I'd stop by," he admitted and Prue rolled her eyes good-naturedly in response.

"Honest man. I like that," Prue replied, stepping back and pushing the door all the way open, inviting Andy inside. He stepped in and gently closed the door behind him while Prue waited for him to look back at her before speaking. "So um… I had a great time last night," she offered truthfully and Andy nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, me too. But I forgot to give you something very important," Andy explained reaching inside his jacket and pulling out a small present with a bow on it. He held it up between his fingers allowing Prue to see it. "Happy Birthday."

Prue's eyes lit up in friendly suspicion. "But it's not my birthday until next week," she protested, but nonetheless eagerly reached out to take the little box from Andy.

Andy pulled it away teasingly before she could take it from him. "Consider this a preview," he suggested with a smirk. He finally allowed Prue to snatch it from his hand while she cast him a friendly glare for teasing her a few moments previous.

She pulled the top of the box off and looked curiously at the contents. "A key?" Prue asked uncertainly, picking the little key up carefully trying to see if there was any identification on it.

"To the Calistoga Spa. We leave Friday night after work," Andy explained, appearing amused at her confusion. Prue fell silent as she glanced from the key back up to Andy. He seemed to understand her hesitance for he added, "Don't worry. I got us adjoining rooms."

"Adjoining rooms?" Prue asked, raising her eye brows. A hint of a smile pulled at the edges of her lips.

"Well, I wouldn't want to assume anything I'm not supposed to be assuming. Although, it has been over a month since we… then decided to take it slow, but no pressure. I just want to be with you, away, together. Think about it," Andy answered carefully.

"Okay," Prue agreed softly, causing Andy to grin.

He took a step forward and gently kissed her long and slow before reluctantly pulling away. "Let me know. Bye," he whispered, letting his hand linger another moment against her cheek.

Prue gave a slight nod and Andy turned to leave. Prue followed and gently closed the door behind him before looking back down at the key. "Happy Birthday to me," she told herself, a smile crossing her face as she made her way back to her coffee.

 

Mrs. Chao's House

"Give me a break, Mom," Mark Chao pleaded with his mother outside his mom's house. Mark was holding a large birthday balloon and his mother was by the steps of the house.

She looked up at him and walked quickly toward her son. "There are a lot of hungry spirits out there, Mark," she scolded in her native Chinese language.

"You're like the Chinese Shirley MacLaine, you know that?" Mark shot back teasingly.

Mrs. Chao reached out and took Mark's shoulder to make him listen. "Better safe than sorry," she countered in Chinese.

Mark rolled his eyes and glanced back at his mother. "I'll risk it," he decided.

His mother shook her head and reverted to English. "You should have more respect for ghosts, Mark. If your grandmother were here…" She began but was cut off by her son who seemed to have had this conversation with her before.

"She'd warn me about all the evil spirits walking the streets in Chinatown. I know, I know," Mark finished as Mrs. Chao ran back to the front door and grabbed an amulet off the hook next to the door.

"You should take this… for protection," she insisted, running back to her son and handing it to him.

Mark sighed and took it from her, but instead of putting it on he walked back to the house and hung it back on the hook. "Maybe the ghosts need protection from me," he suggested lightly, turning back to face her. Mrs. Chao couldn't resist smiling at her only son. Mark walked back down the steps and kissed her lightly on the cheek and handed her his birthday balloon. "I'll be okay, Mom. I'm twenty three now. I can take care of myself, okay. I gotta go," he persisted and turned away to leave.

Mrs. Chao took the balloon and took several hurried steps after Mark. "Happy Birthday, Mark," she called after him.

He turned to wave back at her. "Thanks…" He answered and made his way through the streets of Chinatown on his way to work. Mark waved at several people who greeted him and cut through his alley shortcut. At first he didn't see the people following him until a few cut him off from passing through. The group of thugs surrounded him.

"Is this the guy?" One of them called, pointing a finger at Mark who backed up against the wall of the alley.

"That's him," another answered and then glanced at Mark, smiling. "Is today your birthday?" He taunted.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Mark asked carefully.

"You. Make a wish," the second thug, the apparent leader, returned. He pulled out a gun and shot at Mark, who fell to the ground. Mark's spirit stepped away from his body and looked at the thugs in confusion. The leader thug knelt down beside Mark's body and placed his ring on Mark's finger. "Perfect fit," he observed. "Now douse him." The other thugs unscrewed the lid of a kerosene carrier and poured the contents all over Mark's body.

"Wait. What are you doing? Wait!" Mark screamed trying to stop the thugs as the leader lit a match and threw it on the body. Mark's body was engulfed in flames and the thugs took off down the alley, leaving Mark to watch in despair as his body burned.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Paige moved throughout the kitchen hiding the evidence for Prue's surprise birthday party. She opened the typically empty drawer to find the party invitations. Her eyes flashed in irritation as she pulled them out and slammed the drawer shut. Paige threw them on the counter and began to put invitations and confetti with the envelope. After only a few moments, footsteps announced the approach of Phoebe into the kitchen.

"Good Morning," Phoebe called cheerfully. Her eyes settled on the invitations Paige was putting together and she looked quickly behind her. "What are you doing? Piper and Prue are coming down!" She hissed running over to Paige and grabbing the invitations from her little sister.

"Phoebe, the party is Friday! Why are all the invitations still here?" Paige demanded under her breath, more than a little shortly.

"Oh, come on, Paige. We're right on schedule. The restaurant is reserved, the menu selected, the cake has been ordered…" Phoebe began listing off everything as the two youngest Halliwells threw the invitations back in the drawer

"Yeah, because I did them," Paige countered with a roll of her brown eyes. "I knew we should have told Piper. She's the orderly one," she added while Phoebe frowned.

"Then there wouldn't be a party at all. She would have told Prue, who would have canceled everything. But go ahead if you want to risk it," Phoebe replied icily and Paige cast her a quick glare as Piper joined the other two Halliwell sisters.

"Hey. What are you two doing?" She asked, looking Phoebe and Paige over suspiciously.

Paige walked away from Phoebe and grabbed an apple to have an excuse not to look at Piper for a moment. Phoebe got the idea and glanced curiously behind Piper to check if

Prue was coming down yet. She gave a thumbs up to her younger sister behind Piper's back and Paige jumped to answer. "We're just trying to come up with something to get Prue for her birthday," she lied casually. That was common enough topic to be believable.

Piper fell for it and smiled slightly. "You're actually going to get something other than your traditional birthday gift?" Piper questioned teasingly to Phoebe.

Phoebe looked at her in confusion and Paige giggled softly. "What's my traditional gift?" Phoebe wondered aloud, appearing a little hurt.

"A card three days late," Paige answered for her elder sister.

Phoebe bit her lip, looking a little flustered as she realized that her sisters were probably right about that. "Yeah, well, I've decided to break that tradition and start a new one," she announced.

"You bought Prue a gift?" Piper asked eagerly, trying to hide the surprise in her voice as much as possible. Phoebe gave a slight nod and Piper added slyly. "Where'd you get the money to pay for it?" Before Phoebe could answer Prue finally entered the kitchen.

"Morning,"she greeted them brightly as she walked to the refrigerator. The other three sisters followed their eldest sister's movements carefully.

"Good morning. Hey, I forgot to ask. How was your date with Andy?" Phoebe asked.

Prue hesitated answering as she pulled an orange juice out of the fridge. "Great, until he asked me to spend my birthday at the spa with him," Prue replied carefully while reluctantly turning to face her sisters.

"Oh, I hate it when they do that," Phoebe responded cheekily. Piper laughed at her little sister and leaned back against the table while Paige started to laugh but then frowned remembering the party.

"For this weekend? Did you say yes?" Paige tried to ask casually but she was biting her lip nervously.

"Well, my body did. Screamed it actually. But I don't know I just have to think about it," Prue explained, glancing at Piper who gave a slight nod of approval.

"A weekend of rest, rubdowns, and room service. What's to think about?" Phoebe retorted completely forgetting the party until Paige kicked her under the table and sent her a glare. "I mean uh… you could be right. Going away with a guy is like…" She began hastily, causing Piper and Prue to stare at them.

"Bringing them to meet the parents. Everything changes and you don't want to lead him on or anything," Paige finished hopefully after exchanging a glance with Phoebe.

"I don't think that analogy is accurate in this case. I mean Andy came home to 'meet the parents' when they were four," Piper offered with a shrug. She received a glare from

Paige and a smirk from both Prue and Phoebe.

Phoebe, however, noticed the glare and jumped to back Paige up. "Plus you need a week to prepare for a weekend away. I mean, there's lingerie shopping, waxing, manicure, pedicure. I mean, it's basically a fulltime job and you've already got one. So, you'll never be ready, even if you started packing this second," she insisted.

"Wow…" Piper offered, glancing between the two in surprise. Prue's eyes flickered between Phoebe and Paige suspiciously, giving them the weird feeling that she knew what they were planning.

Phoebe coughed uncertainly under the scrutiny. "Bottom line, unless you're ready to put your toothbrush next to his… you shouldn't go," she finished dramatically. Prue and Piper exchanged a knowing glance before Prue faced the other two sisters.

"You guys wouldn't be trying to throw another surprise party for me, are you?" She asked slyly.

Paige laughed and Phoebe smiled feigning ignorance. "Nope," Paige answered immediately, forcing her eyes to meet Prue's.

"Yeah, we've given up trying to surprise you, Prue," Phoebe lied casually.

Prue nodded slightly and turned to leave. "Good, because you all know how much I hate surprises," she pointed out. That all-knowing look was still in her eyes as she scanned over Paige and Phoebe one last time before turning to Piper who appeared amused by the entire conversation. "Ready?"

"Yeah, see you two later," Piper called and both Prue and Piper left the kitchen for the front door. Phoebe's smile fell as the eldest sisters left the room and she looked back at Paige.

"If you had just given Andy his invitation…" Paige started to scold. She kept her voice soft in case Prue and Piper were still within hearing range.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and pointed back at where Prue had disappeared. "What are you talking about? You heard Prue. She doesn't want a party. So you should be glad that I flaked, besides, you and I both know that she is going to go away with Andy. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a present to pay for," Phoebe retorted, spinning around and heading after the eldest Halliwells. "Which means I have a job interview." Paige shook her head and slammed a pen on the table appearing irritated at the situation.

 

The Hotel Neptune

Phoebe followed the Hotel's manager through the crowded lobby as he took a few moments to give her a quick tour during the interview.

"No other hotels do psychic readings at the bar. It's kind of a trademark," he explained to her as he led her to the area where the hotel psychic works.

"Well, that's why I'm here. I saw your ad in the Chronicle. I'm a natural born psychic," Phoebe replied, sounding excited.

The manager stopped and looked back at her in disbelief. "Yeah, right. What's your act? Tea leaves, tarot cards, crystal balls, what?" The manager asked while Phoebe looked up at him a little flustered.

"No, I can see the future. I mean, I can't always see it, I never actually know when it's gonna work. Usually when I touch someone or am in the general area as them. It's kinda hard to explain," she offered carefully.

The manager regarded her for a few moments obviously thinking she was crazy. He looked around her at the other person ready for their interview. "NEXT!" He called, turning away from Phoebe.

"No! Frankie wait!" She yelled, grabbing hold of his arm to keep him from walking away. She was thrown into a premonition and Frankie paused, listening. "I see it… you're having dinner with a blonde woman, she's gorgeous, all over you. Then some red head shows up. You look surprised. Ooh… she looks pissed. Your wife?" Phoebe narrated what she saw.

Frankie turned around, regarding her in a different light. "When can you start?" He asked.

 

Buckland's Auction House/ The Halliwell Manor

"So have you made up your mind about Calistoga?" Piper asked Prue through the phone. Prue sat the painting she had been appraising back on her desk and took the phone completely in her hand.

"I don't know. I keep thinking it's a bad idea, but then I think, what's the big deal? I mean it's not like we haven't already slept together," she answered and Piper gave a slight nod on the other line though she knew Prue couldn't see.

"I think you should go…" Piper began and then trailed off slightly.

"But…?" Prue prompted to her silent sister.

"Well, you know Phoebe and Paige bought you presents and I talked to Paige about them and she and Phoebe really want to give them to you Friday," she explained carefully. "So can you ask to go on Saturday?"

Prue sat back in her chair appearing suspicious. "Phoebe doesn't give presents. She gives cards, three days late," Prue countered, trying to tidy up her desk as much as possible with the painting in the way.

On the other line, Piper smiled at the comment they had mentioned earlier that morning. "Not this year, surprise!" She announced pleasantly.

Prue rolled her eyes. "Don't you think maybe they just said that so they didn't have to tell you what they were really doing?" Prue pointed out casually causing Piper to frown.

"You're way too suspicious for your own good. You need to work on that," Piper observed and then picked up a newspaper clipping with a job ad circled. 'Psychic's wanted' she froze for a moment, indecision shooting through and straight to Prue who raised her eyebrows curiously.

"What is it?" Prue demanded and Piper silently thanked God that Prue couldn't read her thoughts this far away, just her emotions.

"Nothing… Phoebe got a job to pay for your present and everything…." She lied, trying to continue their previous conversation. Prue stayed silent waiting for Piper to elaborate on one subject or the other. "So can you just ask to go on Saturday?" Piper pleaded.

Prue continued to stay silent trying to convince Piper to tell her what she was hiding, but to no avail. "I don't know," she finally answered, feeling pretty sure there was a party being planned that she didn't want to attend. Just after she said it she began to pick up Piper's disappointment so she gave in. "Fine, I'll ask. If I decide to go. What kind of job did Phoebe get?" She wondered.

Piper, her mission completed, just shrugged off the question. "Don't know. I gotta go, Ciao,"she called, hanging up quickly before she accidently let anything slip. Piper glanced down at the 'Psychic's wanted' ad before grabbing her coat and heading out the door to see for herself.

 

The Hotel Neptune

Phoebe was positioned at a small table just outside the bar, dressed in a bright pink outfit. Another woman sat just across from her with her hands laid palm-up as Phoebe tried to get a premonition. Her eyes were closed in concentration as she spoke what she saw.

"You're in a large room with lots of other people. Lots of other women," she began slowly.

"Go on," the woman prompted patiently.

"You're standing on a podium, no wait; you're on a scale…" Phoebe elaborated and then fell into a fit of giggles while the woman's smile fell to an embarrassed frown. "It's a weight watchers meeting…. Ooh, honey, it looks like you've gained some weight," she finished sympathetically.

The woman's eyes flashed and she stood up abruptly. "That's impossible. I only cheated once this week," she snapped grabbing her bags.

Phoebe frowned slightly and stood up as well. "No, no. I'm not judging, I'm just seeing," she explained quickly.

"You're a fraud. That's what you are. I've never been so insulted in my life. I want my twenty dollars back," the woman accused while reaching out at the jar of money that was placed on the table between them.

Phoebe, recognizing her movements, deftly reached to grab the jar before her. "No way. I saw you. You know I saw you." She argued back, pointing her finger accusingly back at the woman. The woman, looking irritated, turned and walked away without another word. "Hey, you want me to lie next time, just say so!" Phoebe yelled after. She turned back toward her table only to find Piper just in front of her, looking for an explanation.

"Phoebe…" Piper scolded, glancing over her younger sister's attire.

Phoebe's eyes widened and she flashed an innocent smile. "Piper…" She greeted guiltily, setting the money jar back down on the table. "I am so busted, aren't I?" Phoebe laughed nervously.

Piper was staring at her in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind again?" Piper demanded, causing Phoebe's smile to disappear.

"No… I'm the amazing Phoebe," she quoted, pointing toward the sign that said exactly that.

"This is not funny. Our powers are supposed to be a secret, not a marketable job skill," Piper reminded her harshly with a roll of her eyes.

"Relax; they didn't hire me because they think I'm a witch. They hired me because they think I'm a psychic," Phoebe retorted just as cold.

"Hair splitting. You know you can't use your powers for personal gain. Not without consequences," Piper lectured.

Phoebe shook her head defensively. "No, it's for Prue, not for me. It's to pay for her present, it's completely selfless. Besides, this is the last place anyone would expect to find a real psychic, believe me," she soothed her older sister.  
Behind them, Mark as a spirit ran up to them. "Which one of you is the psychic?" he questioned hurriedly.

Piper pointed over at Phoebe.

"She is…" she muttered in disapproval.

"I am," Phoebe agreed, holding her hand up in the air.

Mark grinned hopefully, glancing between the two sisters. "You can see me? Both of you?" he asked.

Piper stared at him as if he was crazy. "Of course we can see you, now back off," Piper hissed, waving her hand at him pointedly while Phoebe just looked at him with the same expression as Piper.

"Oh, thank God. I've tried communicating with every psychic in the city. You were my last chance," Mark exclaimed in relief, ignoring Piper's attitude.

Frankie walked up to join the group looking frustrated. "Phoebe, what are you doing?" he demanded with a glare at Piper. "We've got customers waiting."

Phoebe started to reply, but was cut off as Mark addressed her and Piper. "Okay, listen to me. You're the only ones that can help me," Mark insisted.

Piper glared at him. "Excuse me, we are trying to have an argument here," she snapped back at him.

Frankie glanced beside him to where Piper appeared to be looking at Mark. Of course, he didn't see anything there. "Who are you?" he asked quickly and Phoebe forced a laugh.

"Uh… she's just… leaving," she stuttered and reached to tap Piper on the shoulder. "Bye, go, now," Phoebe ordered and Piper shook her head and threw her hands in the air as she turned to walk away. Mark glanced from Phoebe, who sat back down at her table, back to Piper uncertainly. After a few moments he took off after Piper. "Wait, I need your help," he pleaded.

Piper didn't cast him another glance as she made her way outside. "Yeah, talk to the psychic."

"Please, I'm begging you. I was murdered last night, I can prove it," Mark continued desperately.

"Stop harassing me, buddy," Piper snapped throwing her hand out pointedly and continuing to otherwise ignore him.

Mark hastened his pace so he could keep up with the retreating Piper. "Please, I'm desperate. You gotta help me."

Piper glanced over at him in aggravation as she fumbled with her purse to find her keys. "Leave me alone or I'll call the police," she threatened and then looked at a random lady on the street. "Can you believe this guy?" She asked pointing over at Mark who was invisible to the lady. Piper walked off without waiting for an answer, leaving the lady to watch her in confusion.

"All you have to do is come to Chinatown and see for yourself," Mark insisted, finally causing Piper to spin to look at him.

"Alright, that's it. Look, either back off or… Watch out!" she shouted as a man riding a bike ran straight into Mark… or rather straight through Mark. Piper's mouth dropped open in disbelief and Mark looked back at her sadly.

"Now do you believe me?" he questioned.

"Oh my God. I can see you, but no one else can?" she asked as her hands flew to her open mouth.

"I'm dead. I'm a ghost," Mark explained to the stunned Piper.

 

Quake

Prue walked through the busy crowd, searching the tables for Andy. She spotted him at the very back of the restaurant sitting with a woman who had to be around the same age as Prue. Prue glanced at them curiously but continued to advance until Andy looked up and saw her.

"Hi…" Prue greeted a little awkwardly, glancing toward the woman and back at Andy.

"Prue," Andy greeted cheerfully, though in surprise.

"Um… I tried calling the stationhouse for you and they said that you would probably be here," she explained and then glanced at the woman again. "Hi," she offered so as not to appear rude.

"Hi," the woman greeted. An awkward silence fell for a split moment in which Prue looked over at Andy, hinting for an introduction or explanation.

He seemed to get the idea as he stood up to introduce them to each other. "Oh, Prue, this is um…" Andy began, but the woman beat him to it.

"Susan, Susan Trudeau. Nice to meet you, pleasure," she finished politely shaking Prue's hand.

Prue's smile flickered a moment to a look of confusion and suspicion. "Trudeau? Sister?" Prue asked hopefully. Sure Andy hadn't grown up with a sister but that didn't necessarily mean there wasn't one although, it was far-fetched at best.

"No… actually…" Andy again started to answer uncertainly. And again Susan beat him to it.

"Wife," she corrected and Prue had to work hard to keep stoic at the unveiled information.

"Ex-wife," Andy corrected anxiously as he watched Prue carefully. Prue forced a small smile before turning and walking abruptly away. With a moment's glance back at Susan,

Andy followed Prue trying to explain. "Prue, wait, I can explain," he called after her.

"Don't bother," she answered, not looking back even though she heard the footsteps following her. Knowing he would catch up she focused on a dessert trolley and it shot out behind her.

"It's not what you think," Andy insisted just before the trolley moved into his path and he fell over it, sending all the cakes crashing to the ground. He let out a deep sigh as he saw Prue exit the restaurant without a backward glance.

 

Chinatown

Mark led Piper down the alley in Chinatown where he had been killed. "Thanks for helping me," Mark told her gratefully as they left the crowded street of Chinatown. The sun was just beginning to set casting shadows all around them.

"When you didn't leave my doorstep, you didn't leave me much of a choice…. Maybe this isn't such a good idea," Piper remarked, glancing at the shadows nervously. If Mark's story was true then she was walking into the very area he had been killed. Smart idea. At least Prue was too preoccupied with something else to pay attention to what she was feeling. She didn't need Prue's worry and disapproval mixed with her fear.

"Please, I don't have much time. Somebody has to find my body before it's too late," Mark insisted and Piper reluctantly followed him farther in.

"Too late for what?" she asked nervously wondering what could possibly harm someone who was already dead.

"It's a Chinese myth. At least, I always thought it was a myth. It's called Thowhoi, when the gates of Hell open up. We're almost there," he began to explain.

Piper suddenly looked even more nervous. "The gates of Hell? I don't understand," Piper admitted, biting her lip slightly.

"If the gatekeeper, Yama, catches my soul before my body has been properly buried, he'll take me to Hell forever," Mark clarified slowly.

"But you said you were murdered. How can he…?" she started, appearing confused.

"Yama doesn't care about good or evil. He just wants souls. I should've listened to my mother," he lamented with a shake of his head. He suddenly stopped as he reached his body.

Piper gasped loudly and threw her hands over her eyes. She cracked them just a bit to glance down at his body. "Is that you?" Piper whispered.

Mark gave a slight nod to her question. Farther down the alley a figure appeared in a cloud of smoke. As the figure moved out of the fog it became obvious he was riding a horse and carrying a lance that he pointed straight at Mark. "Yama!" Mark exclaimed, taking a step back.

Piper spun around and jumped backwards in fear. "Yama?" she asked, beginning to panic. "Run," Piper managed to order waving her hands at him to try and get him to move.

Mark shook his head sadly. "It's too late. You better go. Run!" he yelled at her. Instead of running Piper threw her hands up and Yama and his horse froze mid-gallop. Mark slowly opened his eyes after not feeling the expected hit. He glanced at Piper in confusion. "What happened?" he asked simply and Piper shifted from foot to foot uncertainly.

"I'm a good witch, remember?" Piper answered softly.

"But how?"

"I don't know. I panic, I put up both hands and bad things tend to freeze," she explained quickly, her eyes still staring at Yama.

"For how long?" Mark wondered aloud and Piper reached toward him as if to pull him along.

"Not very, let's go," she decided and they ran hastily down the alley away from Yama. Just as they reached the end of the alley Yama unfroze, his eyes glowing angrily

 

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe stood outside the main bathroom door pacing as she waited for Prue to finally come out. She knocked loudly, trying to get her eldest sister to hurry up.

"Prue, you can't do this. Paige is going to be crushed," she called desperately only to turn around to find Paige, who glanced at her curiously.

"I'm going to be crushed?" Paige repeated. Piper walked up from behind Paige, holding a cup of coffee that she took a sip of while her eyes flickered sympathetically toward the door to the bathroom. Before Phoebe or Piper could explain, 

Prue opened the bathroom door and came out wrapped tightly in a towel.

"The surprise party is off," Prue explained icily.

Paige feigned a look of ignorance. "There's a party?" she wondered aloud, looking at Piper as if she expected her to explain about a party. Phoebe just shook her head in response.

"She's on to you. The restaurant called while we were out," Piper replied and Paige frowned, giving up at pretending she didn't know what they were talking about.

"Oh… Is that why you were so upset earlier?" Paige questioned uncertainly. She hadn't thought that a party would upset Prue that much. Piper opened her mouth to answer but was cut off at a glare from Prue.

"Let's just say it hasn't been a great day," Prue responded cryptically, leaving Phoebe and Paige confused.

In the background the phone began to ring loudly and a light bulb went off in Phoebe's head. "Has it anything to do with why Andy's been calling all night?" she interrogated.

Prue was about to respond but Piper beat her to it. "Yep," Piper spoke up, receiving another glare from her elder sister.

Just then, Mark entered the hallway where the four sisters were talking, looking for Piper. "Piper, where did you say today's paper was?" he called, not noticing the sisters until he had walked in on them.

Paige jumped in surprise and disappeared in a whirl of blue and white lights, reappearing in the same spot looking embarrassed. Phoebe stared at him in confusion and slight disgust. Prue, however, was the first to speak about his appearance. "Hey! I'm practically naked here!" Prue shouted indignantly, pulling the towel tighter around her.

Mark swallowed nervously and looked away after his initial shock of Paige disappearing in front of him. "Oops… sorry," he apologized, mostly to Prue, but, also, for scaring Paige.

"What's the drunk from the hotel doing here?" Phoebe demanded glancing to Piper for an answer since Piper was the only sister who didn't react to Mark's entrance with surprise. Plus, he addressed her.

"Wow, Piper. People who drink aren't usually your type," Paige commented, starting to giggle, hinting at the typical reason men were brought into the Halliwell Manor.

Piper blushed and Mark rolled his eyes at the comments. "My name's Mark and I'm not a drunk," he insisted.

"He's a ghost," Piper explained quickly while biting her lip slightly.

Prue's eyebrows rose. "Excuse me, a what?" she asked for clarification. Piper was desperately keeping her thoughts in disarray so Prue wouldn't be able to find out about Phoebe's job at the hotel. Phoebe was looking nervously between them bracing herself for an explosion from Prue. Paige was just glancing curiously between them waiting for an elaboration.

"A ghost. He was murdered and he obviously needs our help. Why else would we be able to see him?" Piper offered carefully. Phoebe and Paige exchanged a glance and they both covered Prue up more with their jackets.

"Well, he can see us that's for sure," Phoebe pointed out bringing Prue back to reality instead of probing Piper for information.

"Hey!" Prue snapped at Mark who rolled his eyes again.

"Of all the days to be a dead man," he muttered under his breath, looking graciously away for them.

"You're sure this guy is really a ghost?" Phoebe demanded, pointing at him with one hand.

Paige suddenly grinned mischievously. "One way to find out," Paige replied and before Piper could do anything she held out her hand and called. "Cup." Piper's coffee cup orbed to Paige's open hand and she threw it at Mark. The cup flew straight through him and crashed into the wall.

Piper frowned at her tactics, but it did prove the point. "Positive," she reiterated and her three other sisters nodded in agreement. "Okay, Prue, you get dressed, and I'll explain everything. We'll wait for you in the kitchen," Piper offered and   
Prue gave a slight nod and disappeared back into the bathroom while Phoebe, Paige, and Mark followed her to the kitchen.

"The paper is in the Solarium," Paige told Mark pointedly, remembering he had been looking for it when he walked in on them. Mark understood her hidden meaning and passed through the doorway that would lead him toward the Solarium. "I'm not gonna lie… That's kinda cool," she remarked and Phoebe and Piper turned to look at her curiously. "The walking through walls. Just think about it. You'd never stub your toe against the wall again!" Piper rolled her eyes and Phoebe smirked just as Prue entered, now fully dressed.

Piper began her story, leaving out Phoebe's job, about how she'd met Mark and everything about Yama. During the story Prue and Piper had sat down in the chairs surrounding the dining room table, Paige had sat down on the counter, and Phoebe was leaning casually against the table.

"So, how do we know this guy doesn't really belong in Hell?" Phoebe asked, once Piper had finished her story.

"Because we can see him. He's one of the innocent we have to protect," Piper answered confidently, but Prue didn't share her certainty.

"I don't know. What if we can see him only because he's magical and we're magical? That wouldn't necessarily make him an innocent," Prue pointed out cautiously. Piper crossed her arms defiantly over her chest.

"He doesn't seem like someone who'd belong in Hell. I mean, he was alone with Piper all day and nothing happened. So I say he's an innocent we're meant to protect," Paige offered her support for Piper.

"Protect from what? He's dead," Prue questioned curiously casting a glance back toward Piper.

"All we have to do is get Mark's family to give him a proper burial and then he can move on to wherever it is he moves on to," Piper explained simply.

"Well, that sounds simple and…. Safe enough," Paige commented, receiving a few nods of agreement from her sisters.

"Okay, so you called the police already?" Prue asked. She mentally checked off step one of the operation.

"Yeah, I just want to give them a little more time to notify Mark's mom before I go talk to her," Piper answered.

Phoebe glanced at her in surprise. "Talk to her? And tell her what? That you're a witch in touch with the ghost of her dead son?" Phoebe remarked sarcastically.

Piper sent her a quick glare of indignation. "No. I'm just gonna try and get her to have the funeral as soon as possible. Before Yama gets Mark's spirit," Piper snapped and Phoebe gave a slight nod in understanding.

"Preferably of course," Paige couldn't resist adding just as Phoebe's phone began to ring.

She spun around and dug through her purse, finally locating it. "Hello?" she asked and her eyes widened as she recognized the voice as her boss. "Oh, hi. I can't really talk right now." Phoebe tried her voice lowering to a whisper and she turned away from her sisters to hide as much of her conversation as possible. Piper suddenly began studying the floor very intensely. Prue glanced curiously from Phoebe and then back to Piper trying once again to find out what was going on. Paige looked just as curious as Prue from where she sat on the counter. "It's important? Okay, I'll be at the hotel in a little while." Phoebe assured them before hanging up and pushing away from the table where she had been leaning. "That was my boss calling. I gotta run," she called behind her as she dashed out of the kitchen, Prue and Paige's eyes following her movements.

Prue finally quit trying for more information and switched the inward topic to an outward conversation. "Um, okay, so, so when you called the police you didn't talk to Andy did you?" Prue wondered, getting up and pacing around the kitchen. She spun around to look at her sisters uncertain of which answer she wanted.

Piper glanced over at her and shook her head. "No, it was anonymous," she answered and Paige listened extremely interested in finding what was going on between Prue and Andy.

"Did you decide not to go away with him?" Paige prompted eagerly when Prue didn't immediately elaborate. Prue bit her lip as if reluctant to answer the question but nonetheless responded.

"Actually, I decided to go, until I went to tell him and found him having dinner with his ex-wife," she explained a little bitterly.

Paige's eyes widened in surprise. "Andy was married?" Paige demanded receiving a nod from Prue.

"Yeah, I mean, you would think he would have remembered to reveal that little fact before we jumped in the sack," Prue commented, crossing her arms.

"Well, what did he say? Why didn't he tell you?" Piper bombarded Prue and she avoided eye contact.

"I don't know… I didn't really hang around long enough to ask," she admitted and Paige, still staring in surprise, thought up a question that needed clarifying.

"Wait… He just let you leave? Without him explaining anything?" Paige asked in disbelief.

Prue suddenly smirked ever so slightly and Piper giggled a little causing Paige to frown in confusion. "A food trolley got in his way," Prue replied carefully and Paige shook her head as she understood the subtle meaning.

Before she could respond Mark popped his head through the door. "How's it going in there?" he called hoping for a bit of entertainment. Prue and Piper jumped slightly while Paige orbed out for a split moment. When she reappeared in the same spot she had her arms crossed and a familiar glare was sent straight at Mark, who looked away. "Sorry," Mark apologized quickly. Piper put her head in her hands while Prue cast an angry glare at him for disturbing their sister moment.

"Don't these guys knock?" she snapped, her patience running thin.

 

The Hotel Neptune

Phoebe followed Frankie through the crowded hotel as he led her to the important rich man who wanted to have his future seen.

"Look, the guy is staying in the grand suite. He could be a sultan, I'm not sure, anyway, that's why I called. Make this bozo's night, read his future, tell him something good that will extend his stay, guaranteed," Frankie was telling her.

Phoebe frowned slightly and turned to look up at him. "Like I said, I don't always know what my psychic switch is gonna be in the up position," Phoebe tried to explain, sounding a little nervous.

Frankie reached out and grabbed hold of Phoebe's arm to keep her attention. "I have the utmost confidence in you, Phoebe. I don't know how you do it, but keep it up and you'll always have work here," he offered her confidently before turning to meet the aforementioned man. To the left of the group another man was sitting at a table of the bar. He finished his drink and got up and left, leaving his wallet behind on the table. Phoebe ignored Frankie's introduction and tried to get the man's attention.

"Uh, excuse me, Sir, you forgot your…" she called and trailed off as she realized he couldn't hear her. Phoebe sighed and reached out to pick up the wallet while Frankie and the 'sultan' followed behind her. As she touched the wallet she was thrown into a premonition.

The owner of the wallet walked out of the Hotel Neptune, carrying his briefcase. He glanced down at his watch before hurrying out to cross the street. As he reached the middle of the road he accidently dropped his briefcase and he bent down to pick it back up. A Cadillac drove straight toward him, the horn blaring. The car was unable to stop and hit the man, sending him rolling across the car to land on the other side of the street. Phoebe stayed there a moment in stunned silence. Frankie looked her over uncertainly at her unresponsiveness.

"Are you okay? What's the matter?" he asked a little worried.

Phoebe looked down at the wallet in her hand. "Nothing, I uh… nothing," she repeated, biting her lip slightly as she continued to look at the wallet that triggered the premonition.

 

Halliwell Manor

Mark sat down on the arm of the couch and reached to turn the television on. He pressed the power button but instead of feeling the familiar push against the button his finger continued to move through it and the television screen stayed black. He pulled his finger away and with a sad expression tried again, only to have the same result. Footsteps from behind followed his failed attempt but he didn't respond. Piper hesitated in the doorway holding a bundle of blankets. After a moment of silence Mark glanced over his shoulder at Piper. 

"It's still new to me. I keep forgetting I'm…" he trailed off, not willing to say it. His eyes focused on the blankets in Piper's hands and he smiled slightly. "Are those for me?"

Piper laughed a little awkwardly and bit her lip. "Yeah, but, uh, stupid question. Do ghosts sleep?" she wondered nervously.

"I don't even get cold anymore," Mark answered stoically and Piper frowned slightly.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized, tossing them into the chair beside her.

"It's okay. It's the thought that counts," he assured her while allowing his gaze to shift around the room. "I guess it's finally sinking in, what's really happened, what I've lost. No more, sucking down a bucket of oysters at the wharf, playing pickup ball with my friends, coming home and hearing my mother's voice on the machine nagging because I haven't married a nice Chinese girl," Mark whispered, a small smile crossed his features at the pleasant memories.

Piper smiled a little in response to the high regard he obviously held for his mother. "Your mom means a lot to you, huh?" she observed softly.

Mark nodded and turned away again. "She's a great friend… was," he corrected sliding down onto the couch. "It was just me and her after my father died. Taught me everything I know. Especially how to cook. Mom was a great cook," Mark admitted with a distant look in his eyes.

Piper smiled at the conversation and took a few steps forward. "My Grams taught me how to cook. Actually, I loved it so much I became a chef," she told him pleasantly and Mark looked up at her with interest.

"Ever make a Peking duck?" he wondered and Piper shook her head.

"No, have you?"

"It's a piece of cake," Mark laughed and Piper joined in. "Mom told me I could have been a great chef if I hadn't sold out to the Molecular Biology program at Stanford."

"So you can make Peking duck and clone DNA," Piper joked.

"The duck's harder," Mark followed and they both laughed pleasantly.

Piper took a few more steps forward and sat down next him on the couch. "Well, I can talk about food all night long," she told him, making herself comfortable on the couch.

"Yeah? Well, I can talk about it forever," Mark retorted, starting to laugh again. Piper quickly joined in and turned to face him on the couch.

 

The Hotel Neptune

Phoebe paced impatiently up and down the hallway that her innocent was staying on. She was still wearing her ridiculous psychic clothing as she kept hitting the wallet against her palm. As she turned around for what felt like the umpteenth time she caught sight of her innocent heading toward her. Phoebe vaguely thought that she was lucky his driver's license picture was recent or she might not remember what he looked like from the premonition. The man glanced at her, but reached around Phoebe to press the button for the elevator.

"Oh, Mr. Corey, thank goodness! Uh, I need to talk to you," Phoebe burst out causing her innocent to hesitate passing her.

He stared at her for a moment in confusion as he neither recognized her nor did she look like anyone he would even associate with on a normal basis. "You do? Me?" Mr. Corey asked, turning to glance over his shoulder to see if there was anyone else behind him. Sure she had said Mr. Corey, but it couldn't be too uncommon a name, plus he could have heard her wrong. He hadn't really been expecting her to talk to him. His eyes scoured her clothing and he grinned. "Hey, you're that psychic, right?" Mr. Corey guessed appearing entertained at the thought.

"Yeah, right," Phoebe admitted quickly only to have him cut her off.

"Is that how you knew my name?" he joked in a mocking tone and Phoebe frowned at the comment.

She was pretty used to people here not taking her seriously as she was the 'lounge psychic' but this was way more important than those premonitions. "No, uh, yes," She allowed and continued before he could cut her off again. "Did you get the note that I left for you?" she asked hastily and Mr. Corey's smile disappeared.

"That note warning me not to go outside? That was you?" Mr. Corey demanded and Phoebe, smiling pleasantly, nodded misinterpreting his reaction. "Do you get your jollies out of trying to scare people or is that just how you drum up business?" His voice was cold in disgust at what he thought were her tactics to earn money. Phoebe's smile slowly faded as she realized his true reaction regarding the note. Mr. Corey took the opportunity to finally press the elevator button.

"What? No, you don't understand…" she began desperately while a woman came up behind Mr. Corey trying to get his attention. She hesitated when she saw Phoebe talking to him. "Hi…" Phoebe offered with a short wave, her patience starting to run out.

"What's she doing here?" Mrs. Corey wondered, pointing an accusatory finger at Phoebe who just rolled her eyes. Mr. Corey never took his eyes off of Phoebe and just responded.

"She sent the note," Mrs. Corey's eyes widened and the look she shot Phoebe mirrored her husband's.

Phoebe shook her head slightly and pulled out his wallet so he could see it. "It's not what you think. Look, when I picked up your wallet…" she began to explain but Mr. Corey didn't wait for an explanation.

"You stole my wallet?" he shouted snatching it none-too-gently from Phoebe's hand.

Phoebe's eyes blazed as her patience officially ran out. "I didn't steal your wallet!" Phoebe snapped indignantly throwing her hands up dramatically.

Mr. Corey sent her a glare as he folded his wallet up and placed it back in his pocket. The elevator bell rang and Mrs. Corey took a step toward it though her eyes never left Phoebe. "I don't know what you want but just stay away from us, you understand?" Mrs. Corey warned pulling her husband into the elevator.

Phoebe hastily followed them, leaning against the door of the elevator to keep it from closing. "But he's going to die!" she insisted as Mrs. Corey pushed the button for the floor they were going to. Her eyes widened at Phoebe's comment and Mr. Corey spun to face her. Phoebe stopped as she realized exactly what she had just said. "Uh… that didn't come out right. Okay, I can't tell you how I know this but I swear if you go outside you're gonna get run over by a pink…" she trailed off as she looked down at his hands and realized he didn't have his briefcase. "Wait… you don't have your briefcase. That's good, that's really good. It doesn't happen without your briefcase!" She stated in relief.

"Leave us alone or I'm gonna call hotel security" Mr. Corey warned and he pushed the 'close elevator' button. Phoebe hesitated as the door began to close but she realized that there was nothing more she could do right now. The door closed and the Corey's disappeared.


	8. Dead Man Dating Part 2

Buckland's Auction House

Prue pushed open the door to her office and hesitated as she saw the flowers waiting for her on her desk. She bit her lip slightly, but she continued forward kicking the door back where it stopped ajar. If she had turned around she would have noticed Andy standing in the corner waiting for her. He watched her closely, as Prue approached her desk, from where he was leaning against the wall. Prue reached carefully out for the card that was attached to the flowers though she knew who they were from. Andy quietly pushed the door closed and the soft noise alerted Prue to his presence. Her eyes flickered up to see him but quickly looked away, not wanting him to see how hurt she was. Andy always could  
read her so much easier than everyone else.

"Hi," Andy greeted softly, taking a few cautious steps toward her.

Prue hit the card against her palm for no other reason but to have something to do with her hands as she continued to avoid his eyes. "You of all people should know bribery is a crime," she told him and Andy approached her, only stopping once he was right in front of her.

"Apologizing isn't, is it?" he asked. "Look, Prue. I'm sorry I didn't tell you I was married before. I should have. I was going to," he continued, hating that he had kept it silent. He didn't really know why he hadn't told her. Maybe it was because he didn't want her to take it the wrong way. To doubt him, to doubt herself. Now, however, he'd give so much to have told her before now. To save her the pain he knew she was feeling though she hid it as best she could.

"Really? When?" Prue demanded quietly, her blue eyes shining with tears that she refused to let fall. "Before or after the doors to our adjoining rooms swung open this weekend?" she asked, knowing that was the result of the weekend away. She knew Andy had known it too and he swallowed nervously at the accusation.

"Okay, I deserved that," Andy admitted, giving a slight nod.

Before he could say anymore Prue continued. "I don't understand how you couldn't have found the time to tell me. Unless you really were trying to hide it from me."

Andy sighed appearing a little mad that she thought him so low. "Come on, Prue. You know me better than that," he countered, taking his hands out of his pockets and leaning against her desk.

"Do I?" she retorted. The Andy she thought she had known would have told her. They'd never kept something that big a secret between each other when they were younger. But you're keeping something even bigger from him… Her thoughts interrupted and she sighed softly looking away from his eyes.

"Prue, it was an innocent dinner. I have an ex-wife and I don't hate her. Is that so horrible?" Andy asked in slight frustration. He was careful to keep his voice under control so as not to start a full-fledged argument between them. After all, this was pretty much his fault and he knew it.

"No, no it's not. But not being honest, not telling me up front is," Prue whispered the hurt evident in her voice.

"Which I've already apologized for," Andy replied, not knowing what more he could say. He looked into her eyes and saw not only the hurt he expected but also conflict. "Why are you trying to turn this into something it's not? What's really bugging you, Prue?" he asked, leaning across her desk toward her. Prue stayed silent though she wanted so much just to tell him. Tell him everything. Not just the witchcraft, but also things that had happened after he'd left. Experiences that she hadn't yet had the courage to tell him. Andy watched her inner conflict for a few moments before pulling back from her. "Looks like I'm not the only one trying to hide a secret," Andy pulled away and left hastily. Prue  
watched him go and her chance to open up disappeared when the door closed behind him.

 

Mrs. Chao's House

Piper and Mark stood outside his mother's house, Piper shifting nervously from foot to foot. She glanced back at Mark who gave her an encouraging nod. Piper slowly turned back around and walked up the last few steps toward the door. She reached her hand out to press the door bell when a familiar yell erupted behind her and the now familiar white and blue lights flew past the porch to land on the grass, leaving behind a disgruntled Paige lying on her stomach. Paige smiled weakly up at Piper who quickly left the porch to pull her little sister to her feet.

"What the hell are you doing, Paige?" Piper demanded in astonishment looking quickly around to see if anyone had seen.

"You said I could come with you, remember? Since you left me behind I had to get creative," Paige countered and then grinned at her accomplishment. "I orbed all the way here!

Sure I could probably work on the landing a little, but I'm starting to get a little more control over the 'where' part," she announced and Piper couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm.

"Uh… Piper. My mother!" Mark reminded her, hearing footsteps as someone approached the front door from the house. No doubt coming to see what the screaming was about.

Piper's smiled disappeared and she glanced back at Mark uncertainly. "Are you sure this is going to work?" she asked and Mark nodded confidently.

"If you speak her language then she'll trust you," he insisted.

Paige's brown eyes flickered from Piper to Mark curiously. "What do you mean her language? Like Chinese? I don't think Piper knows Chinese," Paige pointed out casually.

Mark rolled his eyes. "We have a plan," he responded as the front door opened to find Mrs. Chao leaving the house, stopping to stare at the two young women in her yard.

"Can I help you?" Mrs. Chao asked politely. Piper and Paige exchanged a glance before Piper walked up slowly.

"Hello, my name is Piper." Mark said in Chinese.

Piper's eyes flickered nervously toward him before she said the same syllables. She really had no idea what she was saying and Paige began to giggle a little nervously hearing the unfamiliar words coming from Piper. Mrs. Chao nodded in understanding and Piper continued to say what Mark told her. "I need to talk to you."

"You speak Chinese?" Mrs. Chao wondered, speaking Chinese and Piper glanced worriedly at Mark and Paige also looked over at him. Mrs. Chao, following their eyes, looked right at Mark but saw nothing.

Mark thought about it for a moment before answering. "Berlitz, it's about Mark," he continued still in Chinese and Paige spoke this time instead of the flustered Piper.

Mrs. Chao's gaze shifted to the other sister her voice high from worry. "You know where he is?" she pleaded, taking Piper's hands hopefully.

Mark looked confused for a moment. "She asked if you know where I am," Mark told the sisters and both looked surprised.

"Uh… you don't know?" Paige exclaimed, forgetting all about speaking Chinese and earning a warning step on the toe from Piper. Her face screwed up at the pain that shot through her foot but she forced a smile and Mrs. Chao immediately turned back toward Piper.

"No, and I'm worried sick. I haven't heard from him since his birthday!" Mrs. Chao explained in English.

"The police haven't notified her yet?" Mark wondered aloud and both of the Halliwells exchanged a nervous glance.

"How's that possible…? I mean that he hasn't called," Piper replied uncertainly.

"I don't know. It's not like him. When did you last see him?" Mrs. Chao asked desperately and Piper bit her lip, flustered while Paige avoided eye contact.

"Uh… well," she began carefully, trying to work up the courage to tell Mrs. Chao about him.

"Piper, you have to tell her. You have to tell her where my body is so she can bury me," Mark insisted and Piper gave a slight shake of her head.

"I can't…" Piper whispered to him, but once Paige hit her in the side with her elbow realized that Mrs. Chao was watching her closely, hanging on her every word. "Err… I can't remember the last time actually, but if I see him or hear from him I- I'll let you know," she promised awkwardly.

Mark glanced pleadingly at Paige. "Paige!" he yelled only to have her widened eyes tell him no.

"Thank you, thank you!" Mrs. Chao gratified thankfully as Piper grabbed Paige's hand and pulled her down the stairs back toward the car.

Mark was still looking at them pleadingly but Piper and Paige wore identical expressions of defiance. "You can't walk away, you have to tell her!" Mark was saying as his mother disappeared into the house. "Mom, no!" he yelled after her. Mark ran around Piper and Paige toward the door. As he reached to pass through it a light glowed over the door and he was thrown back into the yard. The amulet next to the door glowed as well before returning to its normal state.

"What happened?" Paige demanded while Piper stared wide eyed at the door and Mark.

"She's got the house protected from ghosts. All those Chinese fairytales she told me growing up are true. And I'm gonna burn in Hell." he responded in despair. Piper let out a deep sigh and Paige looked guiltily toward the ground.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Prue was busily cleaning the stove top in order to keep her mind off of Andy. The sleeves of her shirt were pulled up and she wore long yellow gloves to protect her hands from the cleaner. As she scrubbed the grates, Phoebe approached her from the foyer. Phoebe stopped on the other side of the table watching Prue clean for a moment.

"Man trouble?" Phoebe guessed sounding dejected as she just stood and watched her eldest sister.

"I don't want to talk about it," Prue answered, not looking up to meet Phoebe's gaze but continuing to scrub. She did glance up as Phoebe walked past her toward the cabinets.

"By the way, where were you last night?" Phoebe ignored the question and grabbed a pair of yellow gloves and walked back to Prue where she hastily pulled them on. Prue tilted her head in confusion. "Something wrong?" she asked, ever attuned to her sisters' moods and the worry for her younger sister shining through.

"I don't want to talk about it," Phoebe echoed Prue's words just moments before.

Prue stopped cleaning and sat the cleaner down, her eyes narrowed curiously at Phoebe as she reached to help clean the other grate. "Okay, you never clean and you'll talk about anything. What's up?" Prue probed gently.

"Nothing," Phoebe snapped and began scrubbing furiously.

Prue reached out and grabbed her hand, halting her in her cleaning. "Phoebe," she pleaded and Phoebe threw the scrubber down giving up. She knew there was no way to get out of telling Prue now.

"Okay, I had a premonition, a really bad one too. I saw a guy getting run over by a pink Cadillac," Phoebe confided.

Prue pulled away as her little sister began to speak but still listened intently. "A pink Cadillac?" Prue repeated with a raise of her eyebrows. If the situation hadn't been so serious she probably would have laughed.

Phoebe turned away throwing her hands up desperately. "I know it sounds ridiculous but it's true. I saw it and I don't know what to do about it," Phoebe insisted, walking over to the sink to clean off the scrubber. Her eyes flickered to Prue hoping for a little advice.

"Well, did you warn him?" Prue asked, the obvious suggestion and Phoebe rolled her eyes.

"I tried. He thought I was out of my mind, thought I was stalking him or something. I mean, how do you tell a complete stranger that you know they're going to die?" Phoebe replied and was met by a few moments of silence as Prue thought the situation over.

"Where is he now?" she demanded and Phoebe tensed at the expected question.

She bit her lip and answered in a small voice. "The Hotel Neptune…"

"What were you doing there?" Prue questioned looking confused. That hotel was way too expensive for them to eat at the restaurant or hang out if Phoebe had been visiting a friend that was in town. Of course, if that had been the case, Phoebe would have mentioned it.

Phoebe shook her head slowly. "I knew you were going to ask that… I wanted to get you a really great birthday present to make up for all those cards, so I got a job at the hotel as their lounge psychic," Phoebe admitted avoiding eye contact with Prue who again fell silent. "Go ahead, yell at me," she finished, walking back over to the table, preparing for a battle. As the silence lengthened she glanced up to meet Prue's eyes.

"Phoebe, you have to save him. You can't let him out of your sight," Prue answered instead and Phoebe gave a slight nod.

"Don't worry, I waited until he went to sleep and then I broke a key off in his door to lock him in. He's safe until morning," Phoebe responded a little guiltily, but she reminded herself that it was for his own good. Prue listened silently and gave her little sister a nod of approval before continuing her cleaning. Phoebe frowned and narrowed her eyes at the unexpected calmness. "Hey, wait… That's it? You're not gonna get mad at me?" she asked in confusion and surprise while Prue looked up at her with a similar look of confusion.

Prue appeared almost hurt that her sister would think she would be mad at her for that. "You were trying to do something good. And now you're going to get to do something wonderful. I couldn't ask for a better birthday present than that," she explained with a growing smile. Phoebe's face split into a grin at the unexpected results mouthing an excited 'yes!' The two sisters were interrupted by the sound of the front door being closed and the entrance of Piper, Paige, and Mark. All three of them looked somber, yet a little relieved. 

"You guys have to see this," Piper announced, reaching for the remote that was kept in the kitchen and flipping the small television on. Prue and Phoebe exchanged a glance before turning to watch the television closely.

"They found my body," Mark explained for their benefit as Paige pushed through to stand next to Prue.

"At least what's left of it," she added and then blushed slightly. "Sorry," Paige apologized to Mark, realizing how insensitive the comment was. He gave her a half-smile of forgiveness as the report came on.

"Although the police have reported that the body was burned beyond recognition..."

"It's finally over…" Mark commented in relief as the reporter continued.

"… Personal affects found at the scene, preliminarily, identify him as Tony Wong, head of the Chinatown triad," the reporter explained as a mug shot of Tony Wong popped up on the screen.

The report was met by silence in the Halliwell Manor until Mark spoke up in indignation. "That can't be! That's the guy that killed me," he snapped, pointing at the mug shot.

Phoebe's body jerked as she was thrown into a premonition.

Tony Wong was sitting at a table in a warehouse loading bullets into a gun that he had with him.

"Wait, I see him, Wong, he's still alive," Phoebe announced, keeping her eyes closed to keep the premonition going to memorize as much about the scene as she could.

"Of course he's still alive. That's me they found," Mark insisted pointing again at the screen where the crime scene was once again visible.

"Can you see where he is now?" Prue asked quickly, leaning closer to Phoebe.

She was silent a moment as she studied the background for evidence of a location. "I see a sign. Quick give me a pen!" Phoebe answered hastily, glancing at Piper who turned to pull a pen out of the drawer behind her.

"Pen!" Paige called, opening her hand allowing a pen to materialize there. She passed it to Phoebe who immediately began to draw something down on the palm of her hand. Paige smiled apologetically at Piper who was giving her a disconcerted glare.

"I don't understand why Wong would want to kill me. I never did anything to him," Mark lamented, ignoring the sister moment, his eyes never leaving the television screen.

"You do look kinda like him," Paige pointed out with a shrug as she looked from the television to Mark and back again comparing the faces.

Prue nodded in agreement to Paige's observation. "Maybe he used you to fake his own death," Prue agreed, looking sympathetically back at Mark who sighed softly.

Phoebe finished writing and turned her palm so everyone in the kitchen could see it. "What does that mean?" she asked, recognizing the symbols as Chinese words.

Mark read it quickly. "Warhai Imports," Mark read and Piper glanced up.

"The warehouse in Chinatown?" Piper wondered glancing at Mark who gave her a slight nod.

Paige gave Piper a weird look and Piper just shrugged. "What? I go to Chinatown a lot," she muttered uncertainly, lightening the somber mood in the house as soft giggles echoed at Piper's expense.

 

Chinatown

Piper and Paige entered the warehouse warily hand in hand as Mark followed closely behind. Piper was holding a newspaper in her other hand and Paige had hold of one of Prue's old cameras.

"You know, this is a little creepy," Paige commented in a whisper as Piper pulled her along when she hesitated.

"You wanted to come, remember?" Piper reminded her, just as softly. Behind them Mark rolled his eyes at the conversation that they had been having for the past thirty minutes.

"Well, it wasn't so much that I wanted to come as much as Prue would kill me if I let you go alone…" Paige was cut off as Mark cleared his throat pointedly and she glanced back at him uncertainly. "You wouldn't be able to protect her very well. Everything would just go right through you and Prue and Phoebe are trying to figure out how to save Phoebe's innocent so that left me," she retorted.

Mark narrowed his eyes before disappearing behind them as he wisped up the stairs to take a look over their defenses while Piper and Paige slowly worked up the courage to inch closer. "So do you remember the plan?" Piper asked, ignoring Paige's former comment. Paige shook her head quickly and Piper rolled her eyes. "Fine, then just follow my lead," she muttered and both sisters orbed out as Mark wisped in right in front of them. They both reappeared in the same spot with identical expressions of fear.

"Damn it, Mark. Will you quit doing that!" Paige hissed angrily as Piper's hand flew to her rapidly beating heart.

Mark smiled apologetically but it disappeared in a moment. "I don't know about this. I think it's too dangerous," he offered.

In response Piper grabbed Paige's hand and pulled her past Mark and toward the stairs. "It's your only chance," Piper countered, flinching at the creak of the old stairs.

Mark grabbed her arm, stopping her from moving any farther. She glared at him, but he ignored it. "Listen to me; you don't want to go up there. Those guys pulled the trigger on me without even thinking. They'll kill you… Both of you," Mark insisted.

Piper waved his hand away and continued forward. "I can freeze things, remember," she snapped and Paige offered a half-smile at her older sister's defiance.

"But there are three thugs in there!" Mark added.

"Hey! I have a power too you know," Paige muttered indignantly as she followed Piper slowly up the stairs.

"Keep talking," Piper replied shortly.

Mark threw his hands up in the air. "With guns," he tried again.

"Even better," Paige offered in a falsely chipper voice. The small group reached the door and they all hesitated.

Mark glanced beside the door and smiled thinking he'd thought up something to keep them away. "Wait, wait, wait. They have an amulet on the door, I can't go in," he pointed out. Piper looked at it for a split moment before leaning forward, unhooking it, and tossing it to the ground. She turned and looked at him pointedly, his former smile now gone.

"Never mind," Mark finally gave in and the sisters exchanged a glance and a determined nod. "Aren't you scared?" he asked in disbelief.

"Terrified… Trust me, it's a good thing," Piper admitted and before she could think about it too much she pushed the door open and ran in. Tony Wong and his conspirers all jumped up and reached for their guns. Piper hastily threw out her hands and the room froze. "Okay, phew, we gotta hurry," Piper murmured running forward and putting the newspaper in Tony Wong's frozen hands. She ran back. Paige bit her lip and pulled out the camera, quickly taking the picture. Just as the picture was taken the room unfroze. Tony Wong looked down at the paper in his hands quizzically before focusing on the sisters in front of him. Piper screamed as one of the thugs pointed the gun at her.

"Look out!" Paige screamed as she jumped forward and grabbed Piper, both of them orbing out just as the bullet would have hit Piper. They orbed in downstairs and took off to the car with an invisible Mark following. They jumped into the car and drove off. Tony and his thugs ran out after them but they were already driving away. He grabbed a pen from his pocket and scribbled their license plate number on his hand as the car turned the corner.

 

San Francisco Police Department

Piper strolled out of the police department trying to appear casual as she made her way back to where Paige and Mark were waiting by the car.

"Okay, all set. I snuck the photograph into Andy's inner office mail," she told them out of the corner of her mouth.

Paige nodded slightly appearing impressed at her older sister's plan while Mark frowned slightly. "My afterlife is in the hands of a cop named Andy," Mark muttered sounding doubtful. The name 'Andy' didn't strike him as someone he wanted to be in debt to.

"Andy's great!" Paige remarked indignantly, her brown eyes flashing.

Piper grabbed her sister's arm warningly and looked back at Mark as they walked the small distance to the car. "He's an inspector and he's very good, Mark. After he sees Wong is still alive he'll know exactly what to do," Piper promised, fiddling with the keys in her hand and stopping next to their car.

"Bust Wong maybe, but that doesn't help me. They won't have any way of identifying the body as mine," Mark countered uncertainly, not wholly convinced.

"I thought only smart people got into Stanford. There are numerous ways to identifying a body… the most common dental records. Andy will do everything to find out who the body belongs to," Paige spoke up, sounding frustrated with the ghost. Really, someone who got into Stanford for the molecular biology program should know about dental records at the least.

Piper shot another warning glance at her baby sister before glancing back at Mark. "I put your name in with the picture. With that it'll be easy to match up the identity of the body," Piper added. "All we have to do is keep Yama away from you until then," Mark finally seemed to relax a little and offered Piper a smile while ignoring Paige who rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Well, since the dangerous stuff is over… I'm just going to leave. I've missed enough work," Paige announced suddenly, causing Piper to nod but look a little confused. Paige gave a half-smile before glancing around and orbing out when she was sure no one was looking.

"I don't know what to say," Mark replied softly as Piper reached around him to open the passenger door for Mark since Paige was no longer going to be riding with them.

"Don't say anything. I made you a promise, didn't I? As much as I like you, I have no intention of joining you," Piper admitted, with a slight laugh in her voice.

On the other side of the parking lot, Andy had just stepped out of his car with a cup of coffee. As he closed the door he recognized Piper standing by her car with the door open.

He smiled slightly and wondered what she was doing as he approached and heard her talking to apparently no one. "Talking to yourself, huh?" Andy called teasingly as he approached.

Piper's eyes widened in surprise and Andy could have laughed at her expression of bewilderment. She bit her lip slightly and quickly slammed the door shut and smiled awkwardly at him. "Andy… hi," she greeted, shifting from foot to foot.   
"Yeah, it's uh, an old habit of mine; I do it all the time. It drives Prue crazy," she added, hoping it sounded believable.

It apparently did as Andy seemed to believe her. "My mom used to call it interesting conversations with an interesting person," he explained while Mark listened to the conversation amused at Piper's cover up.

"Yeah? Interesting," Piper agreed with a short laugh.

"Very," Mark added receiving a glare in his direction from Piper who was trying to appear nonchalant.

Andy glanced around her for a moment before looking back at her. He seemed to be having a silent to debate. "Not that it's not a pleasure but what are you doing here?" he wondered.

"Oh nothing, you know, just passing by," she answered, with a wave of her hand toward the road, again trying to keep at ease.

Andy glanced down at his cup before asking what he had really wanted to say. "Prue tell you what was going on?" he asked, almost positive she had. If that was the case, which he was sure it was, perhaps Piper could help him out. At this point he wasn't sure he could even get Prue to listen to him long enough to explain. Not that he blamed her. Piper's smile fell slightly not entirely sure if she should say yes. Prue could get upset about that.

"No…" Piper lied, pausing for a moment. She couldn't just leave Andy like that. Besides she wanted them to stay together. "Well, yeah," she quickly changed her mind. Andy looked at her silently for a moment and Piper added. "Kinda screwed up, huh?"

Understatement. Andy thought but replied with a more neutral. "Any idea what I should do?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh that Andy," Mark spoke up, finally putting two and two together.

"Yeah…" Piper replied to Mark, glancing over at him before remembering Andy was still here. She bit her lip for a moment as Andy's eyes flickered to where Piper had looked, only to see nothing. "I mean, yeah, um, hmm… just give her some space. Let her work it through," she hastily tried to cover up her slip.

"Yeah… okay," Andy agreed with a sigh. He reached forward and pulled Piper into a quick hug. "Thanks, take care," he offered, turning to head toward work.

"You too," Piper called after him with an encouraging smile before turning back to face Mark who was watching her with a wide smile. She frowned a little at his piercing gaze and shifted her weight uncomfortably. "What?" she asked.

"You're a really sweet person, you know that?" Mark pointed out as Piper rolled her eyes in embarrassment. "No I mean that. I wanna take you somewhere. Something I wanna do for you," he told her hopefully. Piper looked around to make sure no one was watching this time as she opened the passenger door and Mark stepped in. She quickly closed the door and jumped into the driver's seat waiting for the directions from Mark.

 

The Hotel Neptune

Phoebe paced outside the elevator door, impatiently waiting for Mr. Corey to head to work. She was confident that this was the day she needed to stop him. She spun around upon hearing the 'ding' of the elevator and sure enough Mr. Corey stepped out clutching his briefcase in one hand and looking down at his watch around his other wrist.

"Oh, Mr. Corey!" she called at once, jumping in front of him to block his path.

Mr. Corey's eyes snapped up to look at Phoebe. "Stay away," he ordered in return. He roughly pushed Phoebe to the side and held his other hand out in front of him as if to ward her away from him. Mr. Corey sped up his walk as he headed for the front doors of the hotel.

"Please! You have got to believe me," Phoebe insisted, trailing after him.

Mr. Corey kept walking but he glanced over his shoulder at Phoebe. "You locked me in my room, didn't you?" he accused.

"Yeah, but just for your own protection…" she tried, offering an innocent smile and a shrug. It was worth a shot. It worked on her sisters most of the time.

However, Mr. Corey just looked away in disgust. "What do you want? Money? Is this what this is? A Shake-down?" Mr. Corey asked, his voice now dripping with frustration.

Phoebe equally frustrated threw her hands in the air as she stomped after him. "No, I am trying to save your life for God's sake, listen to me!" she shouted as they reached the front doors.

Mr. Corey stopped just inside them and pointed an accusatory finger her way and Phoebe stopped abruptly. "You're crazy," Mr. Corey concluded, turning to leave as Phoebe saw a flash of her premonition. Mr. Corey getting hit by the car.

In desperation, Phoebe pointed back at him. "If you walk out that door, you're a dead man!" she insisted and then fell silent as she realized exactly how wrong that came out.

Mr. Corey ignored her and got the attention of the door greeter who was on the phone. "Call security," he ordered, pointing at Phoebe before heading out the doors.

"Mr. Corey, don't do it!" Phoebe yelled, before taking off after him. Mr. Corey stopped just outside the door and glanced back down at his watch before taking to the steps. Phoebe slipped through the closing doors and ran after him. "Wait! Watch out!" she shouted as Mr. Corey dropped his briefcase in the road, just like in her premonition. She glanced over and saw the pink Cadillac driving toward him and rushed down to help. The horn of the car blared and Phoebe leaped at him, tackling him safely to the ground. Phoebe quickly picked herself up off the ground as Mrs. Corey ran up to her husband, looking panicked. "That'll be twenty dollars. Tip not included," Phoebe snapped, turning to leave the Corey's  
watching her in shock.

 

Mark's Place

Piper carefully pulled open the glass doors that led to Mark's conservatory area. She walked in slowly leaving the door open behind her so Mark could walk in without walking through them. She flicked on the light and smiled at the beautifully decorated room.

"This is your place?" she asked softly, her chocolate brown eyes flickering around the room. "It's beautiful," Piper complimented, placing her hand on a book that was lying on a dark mahogany desk beside her.

"Thanks," Mark replied just as quietly.

Piper read the title of the book in front of her before picking it up to look closer at it. "Camus. I'm impressed," she admitted, holding it up for him to see.

Mark smiled slightly and turned to regard her curiously. "I wish I had a chance to finish it. Of course, I can say that about almost everything, I guess," Mark answered, his smile turning to a frown as everything began to really sink in. There was something about being in his own place that seemed to really bring everything into perspective.

Behind him Piper flipped the pages of the book looking for her favorite passage. "I love this world is a dead world, and always there comes an hour where one is weary of prisons and all one craves for is a warm face, the warmth and wonder of a loving heart," Piper read from the book.

Mark was silent, studying her as she read the familiar passage. "I like that part," he admitted.

"Me too," she agreed, continuing to flip through the book. She stopped when Mark reached his hand out toward the book, as if to bring her attention back to him.

"Listen, if your cop friend comes through, maybe I'll get a chance to ask Camus himself how it turns out," Mark offered as a form of a joke before walking around her and pointing up at the top of his bookshelf. "I want you to reach for something," he told her. Piper immediately noticed the little black box on the top of the shelf and went to get it. Mark walked away to the couch and Piper joined him a few moments later. "Go ahead, open it," he allowed as Piper sat down next to him and obeyed.

She gently pulled out several thin pieces of paper and looked at them uncertainly. "What are they?" she wondered and glanced over at him for an explanation.

"My grandfather's recipes. My dad translated them when I was born. They've been serving them in my family's restaurant for decades. They're yours," Mark explained simply.

Piper's eyes widened slightly in surprise at the unexpected request. "But they belong in your family…" Piper began in protest but Mark cut her off.

"I want you to have them. For everything you've done for me. I just ask one favor, use them at your sister's birthday party. From what I've seen, Phoebe and Paige need a little help with the planning," Mark requested, laughing a little at the end.

The comment about her little sisters allowed Piper a short smile as she gave a slight nod in agreement. "Prue doesn't want a party," Piper disagreed, the smile fading as she looked back down at the recipes in her hand.

"Birthdays are important. I know, I walked out of my last one and it never occurred to me that I wouldn't get another. She may not know it, but she needs to celebrate her birthday, we all do. Don't take it for granted," Mark advised. Piper slowly looked away unsure of what to say.

 

The Halliwell Manor

In her room, Prue sat curled up in a large chair facing the television. Every now and then she would click the 'next channel' button, not really paying attention to what was on TV. She turned slightly in her chair upon hearing the soft creak of her door opening. Prue waved a finger to Phoebe as a greeting while Phoebe glanced between her older sister and the television uncertainly.

"Prue? What are you doing?" She asked suspiciously. This whole scene struck Phoebe as very un-Prue-like.

"Just flicking through channels." Prue replied absentmindedly with a shrug. Her eyes didn't leave the TV as Phoebe lowered herself in a chair next to Prue.

"You don't flick, you never flick." Phoebe countered sounding a little worried for her eldest sister. Prue just smiled slightly and her eyes flickered to look at her little sister.

"Well, I flick now." She stated a hint of humor in her voice. Her eyes narrowed upon studying Phoebe for a few moments. "Are you okay? You look…" Prue trailed off not wanting to sound rude and start a fight.

"Awful?" Phoebe suggested with a smile. She unconsciously ran a hand slowly through her disheveled hair. "I know, but I feel fine." She insisted. Prue's eyes suddenly lit up as she remembered Phoebe's premonition problem.

"Did you warn that guy?" Prue wondered aloud.

"I did better than that. I saved that guy." Phoebe responded causing her older sister to break into a smile. "And it was great. I knew doing it would be good for him, but I had no idea what a rush it would be for me. It felt so good and not just about myself, but about everything. That even in my own little way, I could make a difference." She continued to ramble while Prue listened silently. Phoebe's smile widened as she realized exactly how she sounded just then. "Can you believe it's me saying this?" She laughed and Prue couldn't stop herself from joining in.

"What more can I say? It's been a week full of surprises." Prue agreed, thinking of everything that had been going on lately. Phoebe's smile faded and she looked down at her hands trying to decide whether to bring up Andy or not.

"Yeah, speaking of surprises; what are you going to do about Andy?" Phoebe asked, deciding Prue needed to talk about it. Prue sighed softly, her smile fading as well.

"I don't know. Andy kept something from me, but the truth is I keep something from him every day. And it's not like I'll ever be able to tell him our secret, so what's the point?"

She confessed. The situation just seemed to keep growing more and more hopeless. Phoebe shook her head slowly and immediately jumped to respond in a more positive light.

"We're the Charmed Ones, Prue. Not the Doomed Ones. We have lives like everyone else. Call him, go see him, do something. Live to get, that is the secret of life, not our powers." Prue stayed silent as she thought it through, but after a few moments of silence she gave Phoebe the slightest of nods in agreement.

Downstairs Piper opened the front door and held it open as Mark walked through followed by Paige holding a small box of files that she brought home from work. Paige dropped the heavy box loudly on the nearest table and flexed her aching fingers while giving the box a hateful glare.

"What are you doing with all that?" Piper asked closing the front door behind them.

"Oh, just some paperwork that I've missed in the last day. It's due tomorrow so I had to bring them home. It should be a fun night." Paige responded, ending with a sarcastic comment. Nevertheless, she offered her sister and the ghost a smile before straining to pick up the box and walking toward kitchen where she would probably spend the night.

"Tell Prue and Phoebe not to disturb me unless there is a DIRE emergency." She called behind her. Before Piper could answer the kitchen door shut so Piper's answer was cut off.

Mark smiled sadly at the siblings causing Piper to give him a curious look.

"You okay?" She asked and Mark gave her a slight nod though it was apparent he was putting on a stoic face.

"Yeah, I was just thinking. Walking under the stars, what's really up there, what's waiting for me. Seeing your sisters. The way you all act with each other… I can hardly believe there is something better up there." He explained, looking away from Piper.

"I don't know… Maybe you can give me a hint when you get there." Piper suggested with a smile. There was a short moment of silence between them that Mark finally broke.

"I don't want this night to ever end. I'm not ready to say goodbye, Piper." He confessed. Piper looked down at her hands for a moment unsure of what to say. Slowly she reached her hand up to his face stopping just before actually reaching him.

"Close your eyes." She whispered. Mark started to say something but Piper shook her head, cutting him off. "Just close your eyes." Piper repeated, even softer than before.

"Pretend you can feel my hand on your skin, that my touch gives you comfort." She took a few steps toward him and their lips moved together, stopping just before actually touching. Piper slowly backed away breaking the connection.

"Where were you my whole life?" Mark asked with a smile. Piper laughed but before she could say anything in return the front door flew open and several men rushed into the house. One immediately grabbed Piper causing her to drop the little box taken from Mark's house. She screamed as he lifted her up and tried to drag her quickly out the door.

Paige came running in from the kitchen upon hearing the scuffle.

"PIPER!" She screamed desperately. She threw her hand out at the nearest object that could do damage. "Lamp!" Paige commanded and threw it out toward the man carrying Piper. It hit him in the back and shattered but didn't do any outward damage. One of the other men had reached her by this time and grabbed hold of her arms. She screamed and fought to break from his grasp to no avail. "Prue! Phoebe!" She shouted hoping they could hear as the man pulled her toward the door. In desperation she orbed out and reappeared toward the stairs, the man still trying to restrain her though his grip loosened due to the queasiness after orbing. Paige fell back on the stairs and launched a kick at  
the man's face. Her foot hit home and he fell backwards off of her just as Prue and Phoebe came speeding down the stairs. The man pushed himself to his feet and dashed outside, running through Mark who was coming back in to tell the sisters what they did with Piper. Prue pulled a shaken Paige to her feet while Phoebe dashed toward the phone.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Prue demanded from either Paige or Mark.

"They took her… Wong's men took Piper!" Mark explained quickly.

"Do you know where they took her?" Phoebe interrogated, one hand on the phone ready to call for help. Mark shook his head and Phoebe made up her mind. "I'm calling 911." She stated.

"They probably took her back to the warehouse where he's hiding out." Paige offered breathlessly, leaning against her eldest sister for support. Prue gave a slight nod and helped Paige toward the door.

"Let's go. We can call from the car, Phoebe. We've got to find her." Prue ordered. The three sisters and the ghost jumped into the family van and sped off for Chinatown.

 

Warehouse

On the uppermost floor of the warehouse Tony's gang members tied Piper roughly to a chair. She bit her lip nervously at the sound of Tony loading bullets in his gun behind her. She closed her eyes and was, for once, happy to have that connection with her eldest sister. Piper knew Prue was coming for her, knew Prue knew where she was. They would be here soon. Prue's carefully controlled emotions made it a lot easier to keep calm in the face of this new danger.

"First time I saw you, I thought you were a ghost." Tony broke the silence as he continued to load his gun in no apparent hurry. Piper glanced over at him thoughtfully.

"You know… these ropes are really tight. If you could just untie my hands." She suggested hopefully. Tony pushed himself to his feet and cast her an angry glare, bringing the gun with him. Piper frowned as he approached and looked away. "Why did you kill Mark?" She demanded despite not being in the best position to be probing for information.

"I needed his identity." He stated and then reached out grabbing her hair and pulling it back harshly. Piper winced and a sudden blast of anger shot through her leaving her stunned. She had a feeling that anger hadn't been hers, but she didn't have long to dwell on the advancement before Wong began to interrogate her. "Who else knows I'm alive?" Tony asked. Piper stayed silent and he let her go and walked around to her other side. Fuming, he grabbed hold of her hair again. "I had plans. I had a boat ready to take me to Hong Kong. I had a whole new life and you screwed it all up." Tony accused.

 

San Francisco Police Department

Andy walked through the station house toward his desk where he sat down and quickly moved some files out of his way as several more were delivered to him.

"Thanks." He told the deliverer as he scanned through them, getting the gist of each before actually focusing on one. He opened the newly delivered yellow envelope in the middle of his stack. Andy pulled out the picture of Tony Wong holding the newspaper with the heading 'Tony Wong Found Dead' that Piper and Paige had taken. He frowned and leaned back into his chair studying the picture.

 

Warehouse

Mark ran down the stairs coming from the top floor where Piper had been tied up. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige met him halfway across the room expecting some news from the ghost.

"Quick! They have her upstairs." He told them only to turn around and see one of Wong's men running at the sisters with a gun pointed at them. "Look out!" Mark shouted. Prue jumped and narrowed her eyes, sending him flying into some boxes next to the wall before he had a chance to shoot. The sound of everything crashing to the ground below alerted Tony and his other gang members to the presence of the sisters. Without waiting Prue led the way up the stairs, taking them two at a time with Phoebe and Paige just behind her.

"I'll take her. You shoot anyone that comes through that door." Wong ordered to his men. He hastily began to untie Piper, clearly thinking to escape with her. His men grabbed their guns and rushed to meet the intruders. Prue halted just outside the door and Phoebe reached to push it open, only to have Prue grab her hand.

"Wait…" She mouthed and in seconds the door was opened by Wong's men. Prue immediately narrowed her eyes and sent them flying back away from the door. Without a second thought she led the way in. Tony pointed the gun and shot at the sisters as they entered.

"Look out!" Piper shouted raising her hands in a desperate act to freeze the bullets that would hit her sisters. The bullet froze just before hitting Prue. Everyone stood in stunned silence for a moment before Prue gave a slight nod.

"Thanks, Sis." She whispered gratefully. Prue and Phoebe ran to untie Piper the rest of the way, leaving Paige to watch Wong ready to throw something at him if he unfroze.

"Right back at you, Sis." Piper answered pleasantly as she pushed the rest of the ropes off of her.

"How long does this last again?" Mark asked uncertainly.

"Not very." Was Piper's short reply and as if on cue the room unfroze. The bullet hit and shattered a statue just beside the door. Tony jumped in surprise seeing only Paige in front of him. He glanced behind him to see Prue, Piper, and Phoebe together looking none too happy.

"Who are you people?" He demanded, backing away from them toward the door. Prue narrowed her eyes and sent him flying down the stairs.

"That's for hurting my sister!" Prue shouted after him. In the distance the police siren could be heard getting louder. Wong jumped to his feet and shot out the door and into the street just as the police officers pulled up. He hesitated uncertainly and held his hands up in the air.

"Police. Freeze!" One officer shouted at him. Andy knelt behind his car door with his gun pointed at Tony. Wong made a move to shoot at Andy, but Andy was the quicker shooting him down first. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Mark walked out onto the balcony to see what was going on.

"I've never seen anyone killed before…" Piper commented with a frown.

"Jeremy" Prue stated pointedly.

"Javna" Phoebe added.

"The neighbors" Paige finished with a grin as Piper sent a glare at all three of them.

"I mean humans." She clarified indignantly.

"Come on. We need to get out of here before Andy sees us." Prue decided grabbing hold of Paige's hand and pulling her away from the edge of the balcony. Phoebe and Piper turned and followed with Mark. On the street, Tony's spirit stepped away from his body and ran down the nearest alley in fear and confusion. Andy approached his body cautiously and kicked the gun away from his hand. The sisters and the ghost took off down the back alley only to run into Wong's ghost midway down. They all halted nervously.

"Wong…" Mark breathed. Tony Wong stared at them uncertainly.

"But… you're dead." Tony pointed out, not understanding what was going on.

"Yeah, so are you." Mark countered. Behind Tony, Yama appeared in a swirl of fog.

"Mark, I think you should get outta here." Piper suggested hastily, grabbing on to Prue's arm in fear. Tony tried to back away from Yama, but Mark grabbed hold of him and threw him against the alley wall.

"Make a wish, bastard." Mark hissed and tossed him into Yama's lance. Tony screamed as his spirit was sucked into the point of the lance. Mark took a few steps back as the lance turned to him. Just before Yama plunged the lance into Mark, Piper pulled away from her sisters and ran in front of Mark, shielding him.

"No, you can't take him! He's a good man. He doesn't belong with you!" Piper shouted at the demon. Yama hesitated and the other sisters took the opportunity to join Piper. Prue ran up on her left while Paige and Phoebe were on her right, all four shielding Mark. After a few tense moments Yama disappeared in another wave of fog.

 

Mark's Funeral

Mark stood next his mother though she was unaware of his presence as he listened to his ceremony proceed. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige stood on the outskirts of the group of friends and family, all leaning into each other.

"We are here to celebrate the joy of Mark's life and the redemption of his spiritual journey." The preacher read. Mark's mother cried and he knelt down beside her, wishing more than anything she could see him.

"All those stories, all those legends you taught me, you saved my soul, Mom." He whispered, his voice cracking as he saw her pain. Mark slowly approached the Halliwell sisters, his gaze focusing on Prue first. "Take it from me, Prue. Don't miss your birthday. Not any of them, they're precious." He advised and Prue offered him a watery smile.

"I won't." She promised. Mark turned away from her and his eyes focused on Piper; her brown eyes brimmed with tears.

"I wished…" He began, but trailed off. There were no words to explain what he wanted to say, but Piper didn't need him to explain.

"I know. Me too." Piper agreed softly. Mark reached his hand out to touch her face, stopping just before her while she closed her eyes tightly. He slowly pulled away. "I'm going to miss you, Piper." Piper smiled sadly as another man wisped in at the back of the ceremony. Paige hit Phoebe in the ribs with her elbow and pointed toward him.

"Who's that man?" Phoebe asked for her baby sister. Mark glanced around behind him and a wide grin crossed his features.

"That's my dad. I guess this really is goodbye." Mark replied with mixed emotions. Phoebe offered him a quick wave as he turned around and approached his father. The two embraced and wisped away. Piper looked away and leaned into her big sister's embrace forcing a smile.

"Leave it to me to fall for a dead guy." Piper half-laughed half-cried as Prue tightened her hold on her younger sister. Paige joined the hug and Phoebe took Piper's hand in comfort.

"It's an improvement. At least he wasn't a warlock" Phoebe offered, causing all four sisters a laugh.

"Yeah." Piper agreed wholeheartedly.

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe led the way into the Manor followed by Piper, Paige, and finally Prue.

"You know what? I've changed my mind. Maybe I should have a party after all." Prue spoke up as she hung up their jackets next to the door. She cast a sly look at Piper that was missed by the two youngest Halliwells. Phoebe glanced back at her eldest sister curiously.

"Are you serious?" She asked uncertainly. Prue gave a confident nod in response.

"Yeah, why not? I mean, Mark is right." Prue decided. Paige grinned and put her arm around Prue's shoulder, leading her into the Conservatory.

"Perfect timing, Prue, I'm glad you said that 'cause…" Paige trailed off as the Conservatory was filled with people. They all yelled 'surprise' leaving the four Halliwell sisters, Prue included, grinning. "Did I get you?" Paige asked hopefully. "I got you." She answered her own question. Prue laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, you got me." She agreed.

"That's not all the surprises! Check out Ms. Phoebe, Sis." Piper pointed out, elbowing Prue in the ribs to get her attention.

"An actual present and it's paid for too!" Phoebe announced, handing Prue her present and getting pulled into a tight hug. "I hope you like it." She added cheerfully.

"I'm speechless." Prue whispered. Over Phoebe's shoulder she mouthed toward Piper. 'Better not say anything.' Piper grinned and laughed as Prue pulled away from Phoebe. All four sisters moved closer together, but it didn't stop Prue from seeing Andy in the crowd. He smiled hopefully at her and was pleased to have a sincere smile from Prue in return.


	9. Dream Sorcerer Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here's the next chapter for everyone. Please, review because it makes me happy and I need to know if I'm slacking in the writing department. The whole point for me writing this is to keep my writing skill decent. I won't say I'm a great writer, but I decided it couldn't hurt to practice, especially over the summer. I added my own twist to this episode because it establishes the sister relationship that will become more prominent throughout the season. There is a reason for it, but my interpretation of this episode really doesn't change the story but slightly and if you don't like it, it's easily ignored. Just pretend I didn't put it in.

Dream Sorcerer

Quake

Phoebe pushed through the crowd of the popular restaurant glancing around for her sisters she was meeting. Every now and then she would wave politely to someone while holding her jacket behind her with the other hand. She finally caught sight of her three other sisters seated at a table and she cut a beeline straight for them. However, before getting very far she was intercepted by a couple of young guys.

"Are your parents terrorists? 'Cos baby, you're the bomb." One of the guys expressed the cheesy pickup line. Phoebe's eyes widened uncertainly, but she had to keep from laughing. Surely this guy didn't actually believe he would be able to pick up any chicks with that line. Before she could say anything the other man approached.

"Jim, Jim. Ask her if it hurt when she fell?" He ordered, checking Phoebe out. Phoebe rolled her eyes hearing another cheesy pickup line coming on.

"Uh, excuse me?" She asked him politely, leaning forward to hear him better over all the noise in the restaurant.

"When you fell from Heaven. Did it hurt? 'Cos I know an angel when I see one." He clarified, not disappointing Phoebe with the pickup line. She didn't need the power of premonition to see that one coming. Phoebe smiled and laughed softly before motioning for him to lean forward.

"I'm no angel. I'm a witch, but don't tell my sisters I told you." Phoebe whispered seductively in his ear before patting him on the chest and walking around to finally join her sisters. "Oh, I'm so glad you guys are still here." She greeted, throwing her jacket over the back of the empty chair. Her eyes flickered over her sisters who didn't appear to be paying her any attention. "What are you staring at?" She asked with no response forthcoming.

"They have been going at it for over an hour." Prue replied, pointing behind Phoebe to a couple who didn't seem capable of keeping theirs hands off of each other or their lips apart. Phoebe glanced behind her as the couple leaned in another long kiss.

"Hello!" Phoebe called and then sighed and looked away. "Oh, I can't even look." She lamented with a pouting expression.

"I know, I hate being single." Piper agreed, playing with the straw in her drink.

"Well, I think it feels great being single again." Paige commented, leaning back in her chair as if relaxing. Her three sisters glanced over at her curiously.

"You're single? I thought you were dating uh… Jake or was it Joe?" Phoebe exclaimed, appearing surprised. She had thought their relationship had been going fairly well, even if Paige had never introduced him to them.

"John actually… and yes, I broke up with him earlier today. He just wasn't what I was looking for. Too much complaining, not enough action, if you know what I mean." Paige explained for her sisters' benefit. Prue and Piper exchanged a thoughtful glance while Phoebe just nodded slightly in acceptance of that answer.

"Waitress coming through." One of the servers for the night called as she made her way to the Halliwell table with a drink. "Special delivery." She announced cheerfully, sitting a glass of wine down in front of Prue.

"Hey, Skye." Piper greeted sounding a little dejected followed quickly by Phoebe.

"Hey, Skye." She echoed a little more cheerfully than Piper.

"Hi." Paige added, definitely the most enthusiastic. Prue would have offered a greeting, but she was distracted by the wine being placed in front of her. Skye waved pleasantly to the four sisters.

"Uh… I think there's been some kind of mistake. I didn't order this." Prue spoke up, looking at Skye while pointing at the wine glass. Skye smiled and gave a slight nod.

"I know. You have a secret admirer. He ordered it for you." Skye explained pointing around them to a young handsome man sitting in a wheelchair. All four pairs of eyes glanced around for a better view of the man Skye pointed out. He noticed the attention and held up his drink in greeting.

"Who's that?" Piper asked, her eyes narrowed. He seemed kind of shady. Prue bit her lip slightly at the attention while Paige and Phoebe cast her teasing glances.

"I have no idea. I'm just following the bartender's orders, and apparently he's had his eyes on Prue all night." Skye explained with a shrug of her shoulders. Prue sent a playful glare toward her two youngest sisters and looked toward Skye.

"Skye, can you do me a favor? Um, tell him thank you and I'm very flattered, but I'm sorta seeing someone else." Prue pleaded hopefully, handing the drink up to the waitress.

Skye nodded in understanding.

"Sure." She agreed taking the drink back up.

"Thanks." Prue appreciated as Skye turned to take the drink back to him. Piper smiled and tilted her head in a scrutinizing manner.

"This is a nice change of attitude." Piper observed teasingly.

"I'll say. Does this mean you're thinking about getting serious with Andy?" Phoebe wondered hopefully.

"Lately, I've been thinking about a lot of things." Prue answered cryptically.

"Yes!" Paige couldn't contain her enthusiasm. She and Phoebe shared a high-five at the change in attitude regarding their favorite cop/Prue's boyfriend/brother-like person. Prue rolled her eyes while Piper laughed at the two youngest Halliwells. On the other side of the restaurant Skye reached the man who had sent Prue a drink. He frowned as she approached.

"She didn't want the drink?" He guessed with a sigh, fiddling with the arm of his wheelchair.

"I'm sorry, no. She's flattered; she's just seeing someone else." Skye explained, sitting the glass of wine down on his table.

"Sure she is." He agreed with a laugh before turning his gaze on the waitress. "How about you? Maybe you'd like to have a drink with me sometime." He asked with a hopeful smile. Skye bit her lip and searched for an excuse out of it.

"Oh, um, that's really sweet of you but I'm not allowed to date the customers." She explained and then looked away after hearing her name being called by her boss. "Uh, an order is up. I've got to go." She apologized, moving around him to continue working.

 

Skye's Apartment

Late that night Skye moved through her apartment combing her shoulder-length blonde hair out before getting in the bed. She looked at her clock which read 1:05 and set her alarm for that morning before turning out the light and falling asleep. At 2:30, someone flipped the light back on waking Skye up.

"Hello, Skye." A husky voice greeted her.

"What the…" She asked groggily before a hand wearing a black glove was placed over her mouth. She jumped and tried to push the hand away from her and get away from the man she recognized from Quake. The same man that had sent Prue a drink.

"Shhh… You're in my world now, Skye." He told her. Her room disappeared and was replaced with sky and clouds. He pulled her from her bed and she was wearing a nice evening dress instead of the gown she had put on to sleep in. Her soft carpet was replaced with hard concrete. Skye looked around and it seemed as if she was on top of a building except everything was tinged with red. "You look beautiful in that dress. I knew you would." He complimented her, pulling her along with him as he moved about the roof.

"I don't understand." Skye admitted, trying her best to keep calm as he placed his arms around her shoulders and seductively caressed her arms.

"It's your dream, but it's my fantasy." He attempted to explain through a seductive whisper in her ear.

"Where am I?" She breathed. He laughed at the question and moved slowly to her other side though never taking his hands off of her.

"You're dreaming. I'm visiting." He clarified.

"You're in my dream?" Skye asked in confusion, turning to look over her shoulder at him.

"Yes, but I can make it mine." He replied, moving around in front of her and taking her hands in his.

"You walk." Skye observed.

"In dreams, I can do anything." He whispered and twirled her into a slow dance, his arms around her. "I can dance in your dreams." He suddenly spun her back around and placed one hand around her neck. "I can alter your dreams." He continued, lowering her down slowly. As Skye was brought back up she desperately tried to escape, but he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back against him. "And I can kill you in your dreams." He warned softly. He slowly led her back towards the edge of the building.

"No, please." She pleaded, unable to break away from him.

"Did you know if you die in your dreams then you die in real life?" He asked her maliciously as he lowered her over the edge of the building. Skye grabbed hold of his arms, scared of falling off the extremely high building.

"Please don't hurt me." Skye screamed, looking up into his eyes with fear as he said exactly the same thing, the same time she had. He laughed and pulled her back up only to step up himself.

"No, Skye. You rejected me and now you gotta pay." He told her, lifting her body up beside him.

"Please I'll do anything." She screamed again the same time he did as she struggled to break free of his grasp. He teasingly pushed her closer to the edge.

"Sweet dreams." He whispered, pushing her over. Skye screamed as she fell down the drop. The man laughed and turned away, enthused.

 

Skye's Apartment

Andy and Darryl joined the other investigators early the next morning in Skye's apartment. Her body was twisted in an awkward angle as if most of her bones were broken. Andy watched grimly as pictures were taken and Darryl and he went through what they knew again.

"What do we got here? Her name is Skye Russell, early twenties, waitress at Quake." Darryl read off the sheet, his eyes glancing over at her body every now and then.

"Every bone in her body has been crushed." Andy offered, moving forward for a closer look as the investigator taking pictures moved out of his way.

"Coroner said it was as if she had fallen off a twenty story building." Darryl continued sounding skeptic, coming to stand beside his partner. Andy glanced around the room unconvinced as well.

"But we're in a closed apartment on the ground floor and the body hasn't been moved." He observed while Darryl crouched down next to Skye's body unable to contradict his partner's observations.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Piper stood in the Solarium trying to copy the movements of the woman on the exercise video while Prue sat in a chair behind her reading the newspaper. Paige walked in, glancing at the exercise video and Piper before sitting down on the couch with a biscuit. After a few moments of silence between them, Piper turned away from the video.

"Uh, I give up. Two weeks and nothing has strengthened but my temper." She hissed lying down on the exercise mat to rest. Prue and Paige exchanged a humorous glance at their sister's expense before Prue reached out and grabbed the video box.

"Piper, here's the problem. You didn't read the fine print. See, it says right here. $19.95 for the video and twenty grand for the plastic surgeon." She explained with a raise of her eyebrows.

"Yeah, well it's worked. She's the most desired female in America. What every man wants." Piper lamented in aggravation.

"Look at it this way… There's only one of her so every man can't have her so they'll just have to settle for one of us." Paige suggested cheerfully causing Piper to frown.

"That makes me feel a lot better, Paige. Thanks." Piper returned sarcastically while Prue rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

"Of course men want her, Piper." Prue began, glancing at the woman on the video. "Men are no different than women. We all want what we can't have. Which is why we need to stop thinking about what men want and start thinking about what we want in a man."

"Tons of fun, lots of heat, and no strings attached. That's what I want." Phoebe offered, joining the conversation as she came in from the kitchen eating a bowl of froot loops.

"I know this may not sound very P.C. but I want romance. Long slow kisses, late-night talks, candle lights. I love love. I'd take what Prue has in a flat second." Piper replied, sitting up from the mat with a sigh. Prue smiled a little reluctantly.

"Mmm… but then you'd have to deal with the family secret which isn't exactly normal now is it? Prue retorted, grabbing her coffee and leaving the room toward the kitchen.

"How many guys do you have to date to find that guy, Piper? How many cheaters, backstabs, heartbreaks?" Paige asked rhetorically, her voice cold. Phoebe and Piper glanced at her curiously and in surprise as their baby sister disappeared after Prue.

"Anybody beginning to think there's more to their break-up than she's telling us?" Phoebe wondered aloud, looking at Piper for an answer. In response, all Piper offered was a simple shrug.

 

San Francisco Police Department

Andy leaned back in the chair behind his desk as he read over the Coroner's report in the Skye Russell case.

"Did you see the Coroner's report?" Andy asked, looking away from the file and focusing on his partner. Darryl looked up from his computer and gave a slight nod.

"Mmm hmm… Skye Russell died of massive internal hemorrhaging. Her body literally imploded upon itself." He quoted unconvinced by the verdict.

"Have you ever seen anything like it before?" Andy asked, flipping through the rest of the file.

"Yeah, on jumpers. Their bodies were usually found on sidewalks." Darryl pointed out casually. Andy narrowed his eyes not appreciating the humor in his remark.

"There aren't any signs of external damage consistent with any type of fall. In fact there's not a scratch on her." He countered, tossing the file to Darryl who picked it up and began flipping through it.

"Yeah, well, maybe we were wrong. Maybe the body was moved." Darryl conceded, shaking his head at the information gathered. None of it made any sense.

"From where? How? The front door was locked and bolted; each window had bars on it, none of which had been tampered with in any way. Nobody but she was in that apartment last night. It's not suicide, Morris. And it's sure not death by natural causes which leaves only one thing…" Andy decided, getting up from his desk and walking up to his partner.

"Murder." Darryl finished with a sigh. "I hate it when we say that." He muttered giving Andy a nod of acknowledgement.

 

Quake

Piper hastily exited the kitchen and stopped beside a table with a single man writing in a notepad. She paused and placed the dish she was carrying down in front of him.

"Here you go, Mr. Manford. The chicken with rice and vegetables. Just the way you like it. Chicken well done, light oil on the vegetables, and rice steamed dry." She read off quickly as if impatient.

"Thanks." Mr. Manford replied, not looking up from his work.

"Bon appetite." Piper offered with a roll of her eyes. She turned away and began picking up some plates that needed washing on her way back to the kitchen. Phoebe walked up to her and waved pleasantly, though she eyed the plates curiously.

"Hey. Why are you doing that?" She asked.

"Skye didn't show up for her shift today so we're short-handed." Piper responded shortly, none-too-pleased about the situation. Phoebe gave a slight nod in understanding and followed Piper as she turned for the kitchen. Phoebe ran ahead of Piper and held the kitchen doors open for her older sister. "So what's up?" Piper finally asked, when Phoebe didn't immediately explain her presence.

"I, uh…" The younger Halliwell began; glancing behind her to make sure nobody was listening to them. "Well, first I need to know that this is confidential… you know. Nobody's listening." Phoebe stated pointedly referring to Prue. Piper gave a slight nod.

"Prue's busy with her job so if you have something to say then say it because there won't be a better time." Piper remarked with a bit of impatience, but she regarded Phoebe curiously. It wasn't very Phoebe-like to keep something from anyone. At first Piper thought it might be some kind of trouble she was in, but her little sister looked ready to burst with excitement.

"Okay, I found this spell. 'How to Attract a Lover.'" She finished enthusiastically.

"No, Phoebe. We're not casting any spells." Piper berated without looking over at Phoebe. She should have known it would be something along those lines that Phoebe didn't want Prue to know about. She dropped the plates into the sink in front of her for washing.

"Come on, there must be more to our powers than warlock wasting. I'm ready to have some fun with our magic." Phoebe pleaded, undaunted by Piper's initial reaction.

"No, no personal gain, remember?" Piper countered, glancing up at her little sister seriously. Phoebe frowned a little but didn't give up.

"How is it personal gain if we're bringing happiness to another person? And in my case… lots and lots of happiness." She retorted, grinning at the thought.

"Could you pass me that colander, please?" Piper asked, pointing behind Phoebe and hoping for a change of subject.

"Yeah… but look, I'm not talking about marriage here. We have our thirties to freak out about that. This spell is about having a good time." Phoebe continued, not willing to let it go that easily. She followed Piper as the older Halliwell moved to the island in the kitchen. Piper sighed and placed the colander back down and faced her little sister.

"I admit it's tempting. The dating scene can be a little frustrating, but bringing a man into our life through a spell? Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that a little bit desperate?" She observed, feeling her defiance break at Phoebe's sound argument. Phoebe smiled, seeing she had put Piper exactly where she wanted her.

"No, how is asking for what you want being desperate? I say it's not. I say it's empowering." She paused for dramatic effect. "Besides The Book of Shadows says we could reverse the spell at any time." Phoebe finished triumphantly. Piper bit her lip and finally gave in.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Prue parked her car in the driveway and she and Paige made their way into the house. Paige struggled with a couple boxes of files that she'd had to bring home.

"So why aren't you on your date again?" Paige wondered between breaths as Prue cleared the way to the front door.

"He had to cancel because of some case he's working on." Prue answered, grabbing one of the boxes from her baby sister.

"I guess it's a good thing for me. Piper and Phoebe wouldn't answer the phone. I was about to have to call a cab until you called. Do you know what they're doing?" Paige asked. It was unusual for Phoebe to ignore her calls and unheard of for Piper.

"No, but now that you mention it, Piper's been acting a little weird all day." Prue contemplated aloud. She narrowed her eyes at the front door and it swung open, admitting the two Halliwell sisters. Paige raised her eyebrows curiously silently asking for an elaboration, but Prue was already in the Manor, heading for the kitchen. Paige quickly set her box of files down on the dining room table and followed.

"Piper, Phoebe?" Prue called loudly as she walked into the kitchen to find Piper slicing up some vegetables on the counter. Prue narrowed her eyes slightly at the scene recognizing the flash of surprise and guilt in Piper's chocolate brown eyes.

"Prue! You're home. I thought you had a date with Andy…" Piper exclaimed trying to act as casual as she could despite noticing that Prue was already suspicious.

"Uh, no. He had to cancel. What are you doing?" Prue asked, looking at the range of ingredients spread across the counter. Paige leaned against the doorframe watching her older sisters pointedly, her brown eyes narrowed with interest. Before Piper could say anything, Phoebe came walking through the hallway reading The Book of Shadows. She was son entranced by the book that she didn't notice Paige or Prue.

"Piper, I was wrong. The spell calls for cayenne pepper, not black pepper." Phoebe called. Paige grinned and stuck her foot out, effectively tripping Phoebe and alerting the oblivious Halliwell to her other sisters. 

Prue glanced over at Phoebe who had gone suddenly silent while Piper bit her lip nervously. Phoebe's eyes flickered to the nervous Piper and back to Prue trying to come up with a cover. "Uh… did I say spell? I meant recipe." She started unconvincingly.

"What recipe is in The Book of Shadows?" Paige wondered slyly. Phoebe remained silent desperately trying to think of something. Finally, she gave up.

"We are so busted, aren't we?" Phoebe stated as much as asked. Prue smiled and nodded.

"I would say yes. What spell are you casting?" The eldest Halliwell demanded, leaning against the table casually. She watched her little sisters closely looking for a hint of a lie.

Phoebe started to say something but Piper spoke up first.

"I realized today that Phoebe may have stumbled onto something. Something that actually makes sense…" Piper began, taking off her cooking apron and uncertainly meeting her older sister's gaze.

"Now I'm worried." Prue announced, trying to break through Piper's mental barrier for more of an explanation. Phoebe rolled her eyes at the comment while Paige giggled, receiving a glare from Phoebe.

"All the spells are in this book for a reason, right? And I think that this spell could be a harmless opportunity for us to test our powers, really get a handle on them. I mean, why else would it say we can reverse it at any time? All I want is someone special in my life and this spell provides that exactly." Piper babbled an explanation. Prue stared at her silently, trying to decipher what Piper was rambling about.

"Uh… I can translate." Phoebe offered, recognizing the look. A few minutes passed as Prue and Paige took a seat at the table and listened to their explanation.

"You have got to be kidding." Prue replied as soon as the explanation had stopped. Paige was vainly trying to stifle her laughter at the situation and Prue's response to it.

"We were hoping you guys would join us." Piper offered, fingering the spices in her hand for something to do. Phoebe, clutching The Book of Shadows, just nodded.

"No, I have enough complications in my life." Prue responded with a shake of her head. All eyes turned to Paige who appeared to be thinking the offer over. She smiled, but shook her head as well.

"I'm gonna pass on this one. I don't think it's going to work." Paige answered confidently, leaning back in the chair.

"Well, you know where to find us." Phoebe announced, grabbing Piper's hand and pulling her towards the attic before she had to think about it too much and decide against it.

"Careful what you wish for." Prue warned as the other two Halliwells left. Prue and Paige exchanged a glance and an eye roll.

"Guess we know why they've been ignoring us all day." Paige spoke up and Prue nodded in agreement and a moment of silence fell between them. "I don't suppose you want to help me with these files, do you?" She pleaded hopefully giving her sister her best puppy eyes.

"Sure… I'll go get the other box." Prue offered, leaving Paige by herself in the kitchen.

Piper and Phoebe made their way quickly up the stairs in their excitement to do the spell. All in all, everything seemed to have turned out well. Despite getting caught, they were still allowed to do it and Prue or Paige didn't even seem mad about it. Phoebe ran to the old chest that held their Wiccan materials and started pulling out candles for the ceremony. She tossed them to Piper, who stood them up in a circle around the table. While Piper set all the spices up in the middle of the circle, Phoebe lit the candles. Finally they sat down with Kit the cat around the little table, eagerly ready to begin.

"Okay, you want to go first?" Phoebe asked politely, pulling out her piece of paper that had her 'perfect man qualities' written on it.

"No, you go first." Piper insisted with a little nervousness in her voice.

"Okay." Phoebe agreed, but instead of reading off her qualities she shot toward Piper and snatched Piper's 'perfect man qualities' from her hand.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Piper snapped, trying vainly to snatch it back while her little sister just giggled and began to read it aloud.

"You want a man who is single, smart, endowed…?" Phoebe began, narrowing her eyes at the last word and glancing toward Piper in confusion.

"Employed." Piper corrected and understanding lit Phoebe's eyes. She gave a slight nod, now recognizing the word in Piper's scribble-writing. Piper just rolled her eyes, unhappy with having to go first in the spell.

"Oh, sorry. Employed… A man who loves sleeping in on Sunday, sunset bike rides, cuddling by a roaring fire, and late night talks. A man who loves love as much as you do."

Phoebe read, laughing throughout trying to read it. "Wow. You're romantic." She observed in a half-mocking, half-joking tone. Piper just nodded and snatched Phoebe's paper from her.

"Yep. Your turn. You want the sexy, silent type that finds you riding through town on the back of a Harley at 3:00 in the morning. A man who appreciates scented candles, body oils, and Italian sheets." Piper stopped reading and laughed softly. Phoebe, grinning, took her paper back and began reading the rest of it in a mockingly dramatic voice. 

"He's about hunger and lust and danger and even though you know all this, even though you know he will never meet your friends or share a holiday meal with your family, you still can't stay away." She finished, her eyes flickering playfully to her laughing older sister. "Oh and he recycles." She added as a P.S.

"He recycles?" Piper asked, thinking it a funny quality to add amongst all the others Phoebe wanted.

"Yeah." Phoebe admitted, taking both of their papers and placing them in the bag of spices for the spell. "And I think it goes without saying that we both want a man who is well… employed." She finished pointedly. Piper shook her head at the meaning her little sister was suggesting.

"You're seriously twisted." She responded and then looked down at The Book of Shadows in front of her and read over the spell. "This is the spell we have to say?" Piper wondered in surprise. It was very simple. Phoebe glanced over and gave a slight nod.

"Yeah. We're lucky. If we were men looking for women the spell requires putting a piece of honey cake in a sweaty armpit for days." Phoebe agreed, tossing the little bag into the pot surrounded by the candles.

"Ew… I think we can say this." Piper commented, leaning over the book. Phoebe grinned and nodded in excitement.

"I conjure thee, I conjure thee. I am the queen you're the bee, as I desire so shall it be. I conjure thee, I conjure thee. I am the queen you're the bee, as I desire so shall it be." The two sisters chanted as a sudden wind blew around them and the Wiccan pot began to smoke. As suddenly as it had started there was a pop where the smoke formed the shape of a heart over the pot and then it subsided, leaving silence between the two sisters. They both glanced at each other excitedly.

"Do you think it worked?" Phoebe whispered eagerly though afraid of breaking the silence.

"I don't know. The big spells usually require all four of us…" Piper pointed out, just as quietly. Below, the sound of the phone ringing echoed through the quiet house. Phoebe and

Piper grinned, taking off down the stairs hoping it was for one of them. When they arrived at the bottom of the stairs Prue was on the phone with Paige listening beside her.

"Is it for me?" Phoebe and Piper asked at the same time, halting beside their sisters.

"This is Prue. Who is this? Um, I'm sorry, do I know you?" Prue asked into the phone while silence fell over the other three sisters who crowded around Prue to hear the conversation.

"Yeah. We met at Quake. Well, we didn't actually meet. I sent you a glass of Chardonnay and you sent it back. Still, I was wondering, maybe you'd like to go out sometime." The husky voice of the drink-sender and murderer of Skye Russell stated through the phone. Prue bit her lip slightly at the invitation. Prue's uncertainty kept the other three sisters from offering a teasing remark about her being asked out and instead they all narrowed their eyes at the phone in suspicion.

"Um, look, as I told the waitress, I'm just not available. How'd you get my number, my name?" Prue wondered into the phone. On the other end he hung up at the rejection.

"Hello?" Prue called but realized he'd hung up on her so she put the phone back on the receiver.

"Who was it?" Paige asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"The guy from Quake who sent her a drink" Piper answered before Prue could say anything. Prue was a little distracted by his apparent persistence bordering on stalking.

"What did he want?" Paige continued, a bit of nervousness mixed in with her suspicion.

"He asked me out." Prue replied, still pondering. Her thoughts were interrupted by Phoebe walking by them and reaching for her jacket beside the front door. "Um, hello, Missy Mae, where are you going?"

"I'm going to Quake to see if my spell worked. Want to join me?" Phoebe offered, slipping into her jacket but waiting for a response from her sisters.

"Pass." Piper called with a wave of her hand.

"No, thanks." Prue answered while Paige just shook her head, already turning back to the kitchen. "I'm going to take a bath." Prue told Piper, watching Phoebe disappear through the front door before heading up to her bathroom. She turned the hot water on and poured in some bubble bath. While it was filling up she lit the candles placed sporadically around the bathroom, choosing a lighter and softer source of light instead of blinding light bulbs. Prue finally allowed herself to relax in her bath tub after the long day at her strenuous new job. She closed her eyes but her sleep was interrupted, or so she thought, by a man placing his gloved hand gently against her face.

"Hello, Prue." Skye Russell's murderer greeted her softly. Prue jumped awake in surprise accidently sending a splash of water over the lip of the tub.

"Who the hell…" Prue began demanding an explanation, trying her best to hide her fear, but the murderer caught her off guard by finishing her thought.

"… Am I and how did I get in? Hmmm…?" He suggested with a grin.

"I don't care just…"

"Get out of the bathroom?" He finished again. Prue's eyes flickered to the door and her hand shot over the edge of the tub to grab the towel that she set out on the floor.

"Piper, help!" She screamed at the same time he said it as well. He laughed taking hold of the towel that she was desperately trying to get. Prue's eyes flashed and she jerked the towel out of his hand pulling it to her.

"Scream all you want. No one can help you." He warned, leaning toward her.

"How did you know…?" Prue began to ask hesitantly when once again he finished her thought for her.

"What you are thinking? What you're going to say?" He offered. Prue let out a shaky breath.

"Yes…" She breathed. The murderer closed his eyes as if thinking of how to phrase the answer.

"I'm in your unconscious. I know your every thought and desire." He answered.

"Who are you?" Prue demanded, wrapping the towel she had acquired around herself while he was distracted with the questions. His hand reached out to stroke her hair and she flinched away from his touch.

"I'm the man of your dreams." He replied cryptically. Around them, her bathroom disappeared to be replaced with the roof of a building scenery as seen previously with Skye Russell. The only difference was the bath tub, Prue, and everything was tinged with blue instead of red. Prue narrowed her eyes at the change and decided this just couldn't be real. At least she hoped it wasn't.

"You're not real. You don't exist." She told him, focusing all her energy on trying to make him disappear like she used to be able to do when she had nightmares. He just laughed softly at her.

"That's what your mother used to say, isn't it? Every night, before you went to sleep?" He asked rhetorically. Prue let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes, trying to concentrate more.

"You are not real. You don't exist" She repeated and kept whispering it under her breath, willing it to work.

"As she tucked you in? She'd say if you saw in monsters to tell yourself they weren't real." He continued to taunt her. He slowly got up from beside her and grabbed a sponge from the bath tub and walked to her other side. Prue kept her eyes closed, trying desperately not to panic when he didn't disappear. "They didn't exist?" He finished, reaching out with the sponge to touch her shoulder. She flinched away from his grasp and tried to get away from him, but something held her still.

"I can't move. Why can't I move?" Prue whispered fearfully as he caressed her shoulders with the sponge.

"Because I'm going to love you to death." He replied in a seductive whisper. He pressed the sponge on her shoulder and rubbed it so hard down her back that it cut deeply into her skin, making her bleed. She gasped at the pain and vainly tried to move away again as he laughed maliciously at her helplessness. He dropped the sponge and shoved her roughly under the water in an effort to drown her. Prue struggled in his grasp under the water to no avail, but suddenly heard a knock on the door. She jumped awake and shot out from under the water. Her eyes flickered around her only to find no dream guy and she gasped for air in relief. Paige opened the door, staring with concern at Prue who was in a stunned silence.

"Prue? Are you okay?" She asked uncertainly.

"Uh, yeah." Prue managed to say, rubbing soap and water away from her eyes to hide her panic.

"You were yelling." Paige stated sounding unconvinced with her oldest sister's answer.

"Yeah, I had a… a really bad thing." Prue offered cryptically. She didn't know how to explain what had happened, especially not just now with her thoughts in as much disarray as they were.

"A thing?" Paige quoted, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, uh, I'm okay now. I promise, just go back to bed." Prue insisted. Paige gave a slight nod and turned to leave before catching herself and turning back.

"I'm going to send Piper in, anyways." She announced and before Prue could insist against it, had left. Prue got out of the tub and looked at her aching shoulder in the mirror, only to find four long scratch marks down her back.

"Ow…" Prue whispered, running her hand lightly over them. "Piper?" She called, her panic rising as everything sunk in. What he had done to her and what he could have done, not settling well with the eldest Halliwell.

The next morning Prue, Piper, and Paige were talking in the kitchen as Prue made her morning coffee.

"Do you remember what Mom used to say about nightmares?" Prue continued, indirectly filling Paige in on the Dream Guy experience while looking for more reassurance from Piper.

"She said if we saw any monsters to tell them to go away, they didn't exist. Always worked too." Piper responded from where she stood beside Paige. Her eyes were narrowed slightly in worry for her older sister while Paige seemed to be skeptic. Prue filled herself another cup of coffee and turned away from the coffee machine and back to her sisters before answering.

"Yeah, well, not this time. He knew about Mom, he knew what she told us, and how did he know that? And what about the marks on my back?" She demanded answers though she knew her sisters wouldn't be able to help. Piper didn't say anything, while Paige stared at Prue uncertainly. Before Paige could say anything Prue recognized the look in her eyes and got suddenly defensive. "Paige, they were there and now they've disappeared. I don't know how and I don't know why but they were definitely there. Piper saw them too." Paige still stayed silent and glanced over at Piper who gave a slight nod but the youngest Halliwell still didn't appear convinced.

"How many hours did you work this week? 60, 70? And what are you doing today, on a Saturday no less." Paige asked, hinting that perhaps this whole ordeal wasn't what Prue seemed to think it was.

"Yeah, well, the auction starts on Monday and the shipment arrived three days late…" Prue began to explain, but then realized what Paige was hinting at. "And you're changing the subject… You don't believe me." She stated stoically.

"No, I believe you think you saw marks on your back, but I'm watching you drink your third cup of coffee and we're talking about a nightmare that you had while asleep in the tub. So isn't it possible that exhaustion made you see those marks and not some dream guy." Paige suggested.

"I saw them too… how do you explain that? I'm not… at least I wasn't sleep deprived at the time." Piper snapped, crossing her arms defensively.

"Easy, that little telepathic bond thing between you two. In the heat of the moment, Prue sincerely believed that she saw the marks, which influenced what you were thinking; making you think you saw them as well. It's psychology." Paige explained simply, causing both older Halliwells to shake their head in disagreement.

"No, he was in my dream and it was real." Prue insisted while Paige gave a slight nod realizing she wasn't going to win this battle.

"Okay, then why wasn't Piper aware of anything happening to you until after I sent her up to you? Or why didn't you use your power to help you out, you know, throw him?" Paige wondered, her eyes flickering between Prue and Piper for an explanation.

"If I was going to play odds I would say telepathic connections don't work in dream world. Perhaps, it's not in the unconscious… just the conscious… I have no idea what I'm talking about." Piper started to hypothesize, but then gave up having no explanation.

"I don't know…" Prue agreed with a shrug though she glanced gratefully at Piper for trying to explain.

"Well, the important thing is I stayed up all night and nothing else happened so maybe whatever it is, is over." Piper continued hopefully. Prue appeared unconvinced while Paige appeared confused, not sure what she should believe.

"Morning." Called an unknown fourth voice as a handsome young man with his shirt off entered the kitchen and walked to the refrigerator. Prue, Piper, and Paige all stared at him, no doubt attracted to him. All three sisters exchanged glances with each other as the man pulled out the milk jug, their eyes flickering to him. Finally, Prue spoke up.

"Uh, excuse me but who are you?" Prue asked, as politely as she could in her surprise.

"Who cares?" Piper exclaimed. Paige began to giggle uncontrollably in agreement to Piper's comment. As the man drank all their milk from the jug, Phoebe came running in and stopped just inside the kitchen a little flustered, but glowing nonetheless.

"Hans, I found your t-shirt." She stated, blushing slightly at seeing her sisters.

"Was it in the hammock or…" Hans began to ask, placing the empty milk jug on the counter and walking over to meet Phoebe. He took his shirt and pulled it on.

"It doesn't matter…" Phoebe replied, grinning. Piper glanced over at Prue and Paige and mouthed 'hammock?' Paige tried to stuff her fist in her mouth to stifle her giggles while Prue bit her lip a little before turning her attention back to the scene.

"I gotta run. I'll meet you later for lunch." Hans told her, pulling Phoebe into a quick kiss.

"Okay, Phoebe managed to whisper as he pulled away from her.

"Oops, I almost forgot." He turned back to the counter and dropped the empty milk jug into the recycling bin next to the trash can before leaving. Phoebe finally turned to her curious sisters, glowing.

"Don't worry. We had safe sex… a lot of safe sex." She announced in satisfaction.

"Ew…" Piper whispered, turning away from Phoebe.

"Damn, I should have cast that spell!" Paige declared, breaking the short silence. Prue shook her head and laughed at her little sisters.

 

San Francisco Police Department

Andy slid several large files across Morris' desk for him to look over.

"It's all right here in their F.B.I. files." He stated, taking a sip from his coffee cup.

"Why do you do this to me?" Morris asked rhetorically, pulling them closer so he could look at them for his partner.

"Three young women completely unrelated except for the fact that they all died the exact same way as the waitress." Andy summarized the contents of the files, ignoring Darryl's complaining. He turned away, awaiting Darryl's response.

"The medical examiner listed them all as jumpers, case closed." Darryl read with a nod.

"Look at the crime photos, all the Vics were found locked in their rooms. We've got the MO of a serial killer here, Morris." Andy continued, walking back to Darryl after refilling his coffee mug. Darryl pulled the pictures out and glanced through them before putting them back up realizing his partner was onto something.

 

Quake

Piper left the kitchen carrying somebody's food in one hand while Phoebe trailed after her talking excitedly.

"I'm telling you, Piper, the spell worked." Phoebe insisted again to her older sister that was trying to ignore her.

"Shhh… A little louder, Pheebs, I don't think Oakland heard." Piper snapped sarcastically, her eyes glancing over at the nearest group of people. Luckily, they didn't seem to have been listening and Piper didn't stop so they could potentially hear more.

"Well, it did. Get this. Hans doesn't go to bars. He's never been to Quake, but last night as he's on his way back from his acting classes… WHAM flat tire on his motorcycle right across the street from Quake. So he comes in to use the pay phone when who does he bump into but me, exiting the ladies room." Phoebe explained enthusiastically. Piper stopped and listened to her predictable story with interest, but not believing it as part of the spell.

"Phoebe, you threw his clothes all over the house. That's not a spell working, that's hormones." Piper disagreed good-naturedly.

"No, it's not like that. I really like Hans, he's really cool. And he likes me too!" Phoebe celebrated, turning around to see Hans waiting for her at the bar. She grinned and took off toward him, running into his arms. He picked her up and spun her around while Piper smiled at their flirting. Phoebe and Hans passed Piper on their way out and Phoebe blew Piper a kiss. Piper nodded to her in farewell and then walked to the table that Mr. Manford was sitting at before placing his plate in front of him.

"Mr. Manford, here you go. Chicken, rice, and veggies just the way you like it." Piper told him and then turned to leave. She halted when Mr. Manford actually spoke back to her.

"Thank you, and please call me, Jack." He offered, turning in his seat to look at her better. Piper hesitated before turning back and regarding him with curiosity. Mr. Manford took his glasses off, his eyes not leaving Piper. "Has anyone ever told you how truly beautiful you are?" He wondered.

"Have you been drinking?" Piper asked, laughing and taking a few hesitant steps toward Jack. In response, Jack laughed and shook his head.

"A sense of humor. I love that." He commented while Piper just forced a laugh. Piper quickly turned to leave before the conversation could get any more awkward and weird.

"Wait, Piper, don't go. I don't know why, but I have to get to know you. Have dinner with me." Mr. Manford suggested, hopefully.

"Can you hang on a second?" Piper pleaded. She really needed to talk to someone about this before jumping into it. Maybe Prue could help her with a way out of it. All he had to do was say yes.

"Yeah." Jack whispered while Piper gave a slight nod and turned away, heading towards the restaurant phone. She quickly dialed the number for Prue's office, not noticing the man that walked up behind her. She felt eyes on her and she turned back and smiled politely before focusing on the phone.

"Prue Halliwell, please. It's her sister, Piper." Piper spoke into the phone. There was silence as the attendant went to check for Prue. Behind her the man spoke.

"You know, you shouldn't have dinner with that guy." He stated slowly. Piper turned to regard him with polite curiosity though in truth she wanted to punch him in the face.

"Why not?" She asked instead of her initial reaction.

"Because you should fly to Paris with me." He explained and then went silent waiting on her answer. Piper turned back away and clenched the phone in her hand.

"Tell her it's an emergency." She hissed into the phone.

 

Bucklands Auction House

At Bucklands, Prue was in her office trying to appraise some paintings for the auction Monday. She held the phone in one hand and was searching through her desk for something with the other.

"So you're not actually thinking about going out with this Jack guy, are you?" Prue asked, her over-protective sisterly instincts kicking in. She was always nervous with Piper's boyfriends especially because Piper, to her, was the most vulnerable in these types of situations. Not to mention, she didn't even really know this guy. Prue pulled out the papers she was looking for from her desk just as Rex entered her office.

"Have you finished the, uh, Cromwell Miniatures yet?" Rex questioned as he set a large box down in the floor for Prue to eventually look over.

"Rex… uh, hang on a second, Piper." Prue whispered into the phone and then looked back up at Rex. "No, I'm still cataloguing the Rembrandt Sketches." She answered hastily.

"Oh, well, uh, set them aside. The, uh, letters of Ernest Hemingway are now first on the block." Rex ordered, motioning for some delivery guys to bring the big boxes they were moving into Prue's room. Her eyes widened at all the boxes. She sighed and brought back the phone. "I don't believe it; I'm going to be here all night. Piper, let me call you back." She whispered into the phone before hanging up and making her way to the newly arrived artifacts.


	10. Dream Sorcerer Part 2

Dream Sorcerer Part 2

 

The Halliwell Manor

Piper and Phoebe sat in the Foyer, putting on finishing touches for their dates while Piper filled Phoebe in on Jack. She worded her explanation so that Phoebe thought she was having fun with the spell though she didn't find it as appealing as her younger sister. In fact, she wanted to get rid of this guy as quickly as possible.

"So Jack stayed through the entire lunch shift, talked my ear off, had me laughing at all his stories, and somehow convinced me to have coffee with him." Piper related the day's events to her younger sister as Phoebe bent down to tie the straps of her shoes.

"Hans and I are going dancing at the Rave. You and Jack should come join us." Phoebe offered cheerfully after Piper had sat down next to her on the couch. Piper smiled a little at the offer but didn't want Phoebe to see how unhappy she was with how the spell turned out for her. Not to mention they probably wouldn't be able to make it anyways. She decided to give Phoebe the latter excuse.

"Well, if our dinner date lasts as long as our coffee break, we wouldn't make it there 'til closing." She replied and Phoebe giggled at the response.

"Maybe we can all meet back at the house later." She suggested, getting to her feet and grabbing her jacket off the hook next to the door. Phoebe turned back to see Piper watching her and added "This has worked out so great, hasn't it?"

"Yeah." Piper responded with false cheer. She forced a smile until Phoebe waved and left the house. Her smile immediately fell."…Great." She finished with sarcasm.

 

The Dream Lab

Andy and Darryl arrived at the Dream Lab later that night to question one of the researchers. Andy flashed his police mark to the attendant on duty and he led them to a room where they could wait. The room was set up similarly to that of a dentist's office with the plastic chairs, but the machinery set up was ahead of the time it seemed.

"So this is a dream lab? They actually pay people to sleep here?" Darryl questioned in surprise, but he didn't appear to be impressed. He was more skeptic that people got paid for something as easy as sleeping, especially with a drug boost.

"If you wait here, I'll tell Mr. Berman you would like to speak with him." The attendant offered, leaving them in the empty room.

"Thank you." Andy replied politely, watching the attendant leave before taking a few moments to survey his surroundings with interest. After the attendant left Darryl turned to his partner with a quick word of caution.

"Look, just because Berman dated the first victim…" He began, but Andy cut him off.

"Julie Derickson."

"… Doesn't make him a killer." Darryl finished his warning, satisfied when Andy gave him a slight nod.

"Yeah, but it's a great place to start. It's our only place to start…" Andy muttered, tapping Darryl on the shoulder and pointing to the room with the chair. He led the way into the adjoining room.

"What do you know about this place anyways?" Darryl asked as he followed his partner.

"It's a privately funded research facility and Julie Derickson worked here too. She and Berman were teamed together on some kind of experimental project."Andy answered and then fell silent as Berman entered the room in his wheelchair. He was the guy who had killed Skye Russell and attacked Prue in her dream.

"Hello, Inspectors. How may I help you?" Berman greeted stopping in the original room the attendant had left Andy and Darryl in. The two officers didn't answer until they had returned to the other room and reached Berman.

"Are you Whitaker Berman?" Darryl began the informal interrogation while Andy hung back a few steps.

"Yes, what's this about?" Berman asked, feigning ignorance of this investigation.

"We're conducting an investigation. We'd like to ask you a few questions." Darryl replied, giving a slight nod to Andy to show him the pictures.

"Regarding?" Berman wondered, turning to Andy who stepped forward and passed him a photo from one of the files.

"Do you know this woman?" Andy questioned and then fell silent watching Berman intently for signs of recognition or lying.

"That's Julie Derickson. She was my girlfriend. I was heartbroken when she…" He trailed off; acting grieved by her death and handed the picture back to Andy who took it from him. "Forgive me, it's just very hard. I still miss her." Berman apologized.

"Another woman died just like her the other night. A waitress, crushed to death in her sleep." Andy explained their presence while watching how this new revelation would affect Berman.

"You're kidding." Berman stated slowly.

"No." Darryl responded shortly while Berman turned to look at him.

"That… That's awful." Berman commented, glancing back at Andy as he took a step forward.

"Mr. Berman, could you tell us your whereabouts the night before last?" Andy demanded, not satisfied with the experimenter's reaction to their news. He was too calm and too cold.

"I was here in the lab asleep. I left in the morning." Berman answered promptly.

"Any witnesses who can confirm that?" Darryl asked.

"A nights worth of day, two scientists, and a lab technician. Shall I have them paged?" Berman suggested almost daring the two cops to say yes. Andy's eyes narrowed, but he looked away, unable to prove his suspicions at the present time.

"No that's okay, Mr. Berman. Sorry we disturbed you. Thank you for your time." Darryl replied, pulling lightly on Andy's arm for them to leave. Andy led the way out, leaving Whitaker Berman alone in the room.

 

Quake

Piper was suffering through her date with Jack, beginning to get frustrated at his undying interest in her. She was running out of things to say that could potentially turn him off.

"What else can I tell you…? When I get stressed, I get hives in very strange places. Which is nothing compared to what happens when I panic, believe me." She lied hoping to scare him off. She crossed her arms with satisfaction. Surely, he would leave now… Nope. Instead, Jack smiled and nodded.

"Your honesty is so refreshing." He complimented causing Piper to sigh, but she recovered quickly.

"Well, it helps keep my ulcer under control." Piper admitted. Since the spell was cast to attract a guy to her, she was hoping that something that wouldn't be attractive in her mind would break the spell. Unfortunately, the idea was better than the actual results.

"It's the nineties. I mean, is there anyone who doesn't have one?" Jack asked rhetorically, leaning closer to her instead of away as Piper had hoped. Piper bit her lip before forcing a smile and leaning forward in false eagerness.

"Would you like to see my tattoo?" She questioned hastily.

"Would you like to see mine?" Jack countered, leaning even closer to Piper, as if everything she said attracted him closer to her.

"Uh… Is there nothing I can say to turn you off?" Piper wondered, with a slight shake of her head.

"There really isn't." Jack answered immediately. He pulled away for a brief moment as if he just realized that his answer was weird. "Which is kind of strange actually." He commented, but didn't really appear fazed by the phenomenon.

"Not really…" Piper replied and then decided to tell him the truth. She figured worst case scenario he would think she was being funny or figurative. "Jack you're under a…." She trailed off as Jack leaned forward and kissed her. Piper raised her eyebrows awkwardly and was extremely thankful when he pulled away. "… Spell." She finished in a whisper. She smiled politely at him, but caught sight of another man waving and checking her out from behind Jack. She forced a smile that faded ever-so-slightly upon seeing another man holding a wine glass and winking at her from one of the doorways to an adjoining room. Piper laughed nervously when she heard someone talking to her from behind.

"Hey there." He said and she turned uncertainly around to find a man offering her a white rose. Piper ignored him and looked back at Jack before admitting a freaked-out laugh.

She glanced around at all the guys and fell silent trying desperately to think of some way out of this predicament.

 

Dream Lab

Mr. Berman pulled himself out of his wheelchair and onto the chair where he conducted his experiments for dream leaping. One lab technician helped him up while another began to connect all the machinery needed to him.

"Give me thirty cc's of Vandereen." Mr. Berman ordered once he was settled as comfortably as possible in the chair. The lab technician that was putting the shot together looked over at him uncertainly.

"Thirty cc's? That's twice…" He began to argue against the wisdom of that order, but he was cut off harshly by Mr. Berman.

"I'll be in REM sleep quicker and longer. Set the dream inducement to level 12." Mr. Berman continued, ignoring the advice of the other technicians.

"We haven't got the results back from level eight." The technician warned. Mr. Berman, annoyed with the technician, grabbed roughly onto his arm and pulled him down.

"This is my dream. My experiment. Set the machine and give me the shot." Mr. Berman snapped, causing the technician to nod nervously and follow his orders.

 

Bucklands Auction House

Prue, exhausted from all the work that had been thrust onto her shoulders laid her head down on her desk. She hadn't expected to fall asleep, but the silence of the empty building and with only a little lamp as a light source, she did. Mr. Berman, once again, took control of her dream.

"Hello, Prue. We meet again." He greeted, sitting in the chair behind her desk while Prue slowly opened her eyes and glanced up at him in confusion. "All that work, all those hours. You fell asleep at your desk." Berman explained, relaxing back into his chair. The women's' initial reaction to him was always the best part. Prue's eyes flashed with understanding and her hand shot out to grab a letter opener that was on her desk, so as not to be totally defenseless like last time.

"Someone, help!" She screamed, despite being sure that there was no one else in the building that could help her. Her office disappeared and she was back on top of the building, the clouds tinged with red this time. Prue desperately glanced around for a way out. Any way out.

"What do you hide from at work? Is it the pain of your past or the uncertainty of your future?" He asked, getting up out of his chair and slowly approaching a struggling Prue.

"I don't hide from anything." Prue hissed, trying to get out of the chair, but just like last time she found she couldn't move.

"Can't move out of the chair, can you?" Berman observed with satisfaction. He grabbed hold of the back of the chair and spun it around dangerously fast until Prue faced him.

"Don't you wonder why?" There was manic gleam in his eyes as he began to roll the chair toward the edge of the building with Prue still struggling to get free. "Because I don't want you to. You're powerless, Prue." Berman answered his own question for Prue's benefit.

"Go to Hell." Prue snapped, finally settling back into the chair. There had to be another way to get free, struggling obviously wasn't doing anything. Mr. Berman ignored her outburst and continued as if he had been uninterrupted.

"I, on the other hand, am the all-powerful. If you don't want to talk to me, that's fine. There's always Piper, Phoebe, Paige, or any number of young single women out there. It's an endless pool for the dream sorcerer." He warned with a grin that sent chills down Prue's spine. Fear flashed through her blue eyes, but it wasn't the fact that the chair was moving closer to the edge of the building. It was for her sisters. He knew about them. He could hurt them.

"No, wait, I'll stay." She pleaded, anything to keep her sisters safe.

"It's too late. You're falling asleep." Berman laughed and Prue shook her head defiantly.

"No, I'm fine. I'm awake." She countered, her desperation beginning to switch into hysteria.

"Shall I sing you a lullaby?" Berman suggested, halting the chair just on the edge of the building.

"I don't think so." Prue hissed and slammed her foot up, kicking him, and stabbing his hand with the letter opener that she had gotten of her desk. He screamed in pain and anger.

Before Prue could do anything, he had roughly shoved her back into the chair and spun it to face the edge.

"Good night, Prue." Berman yelled over her scream. He pushed the chair to the edge when a phone ringing woke Prue up with a jolt.

She was again back in her office, alone, with the office phone echoing through the eerie silence. Prue frantically grabbed at her phone, trying to hold herself together for the person on the other end.

"Hello?" Prue answered hastily, swinging her chair around away from the door and where the Dream Sorcerer had sat. She couldn't think about him right now.

"Hi, you're still at the office." Andy stated, his smile evident in his voice. Prue let out a shaky breath and knew she had to get off the phone with him or he would guess something was wrong… and she couldn't tell him.

"Yeah, um, can I call you back?" She pleaded, flinching at the slight break in her voice.

"Sure, I'm at the Station House." Andy agreed, allowing Prue to sigh in relief. Andy frowned a little at her voice. It sounded strained or barely controlled… Was it fear? "Everything okay?" He asked worried. Prue stiffened a little at the question.

"It is now. Thanks, Andy. Thanks for calling." She replied gratefully and was satisfied when her voice sounded more like normal.

"I just wanted to hear your voice." Andy admitted with a slight smile.

"Okay, bye…" Prue whispered, reluctantly hanging up with her boyfriend. Without looking up she placed the phone back on the receiver and jumped in fear as she felt someone's hand touch her shoulder. She gasped and spun around, threatening to stab them with the letter opener.

"Bloody Hell." Rex cursed, leaping back at Prue's unexpected threat. He stared at her in surprise, but she didn't notice. Prue's eyes focused on the letter opener in her hand that was already dripping with blood that was running down her hand.

 

San Francisco Police Department

"The man is in a wheelchair. He's got no motive and he's got an alibi. So tell me again why you think Berman is our suspect." Darryl replied to his partner's insistence that Berman is the murderer. Andy didn't look up at him and continued studying the files for information that could back him up. Andy smiled triumphantly to himself and leaned back in his chair to look up at Darryl.

"Dream leaping." He answered simply.

"Dream leaping?" Darryl repeated in confusion and disbelief. He fell silent waiting for an elaboration on Andy's part.

"That's what Berman's researching at the lab. Dream leaping. The ability to project himself into someone else's dreams." Andy explained with confidence while Darryl's look of disbelief strengthened.

"Into women's dreams and killing them? Now who's dreaming?" He muttered, sitting down on his desk across from Andy. Andy rolled his eyes and was suddenly defensive.

"Not just any women. Women that reject him. Just like Julie Derickson did. She broke up with him when they were driving somewhere. He got into an accident. That's why he's paralyzed." He clarified. Darryl raised his eyebrows prompting an explanation for how his partner knew this stuff. "It's all there in the police report" Andy added, getting to his feet and grabbing his coat as he continued his explanation. "The day after he went back to work in the lab, Julie Derickson died suspiciously. Six months later two more women died in their sleep. Crushed to death. Coincidence? You tell me." He challenged turning to face Darryl. Darryl frowned a little at his partner's logic.

"Love to. Can't. Let's go." He ordered, grabbing his own jacket and leading the way out of the station.

The Halliwell Manor

Piper opened the front door of the Manor and squeezed through, trying to leave as much of the frigid air outside as possible. She glanced up and her eyes widened upon seeing the entire foyer filled with flowers and Paige trying to read the labels and put them in some semblance of order. Paige smiled and waved pleasantly at her older sister.

"Hey! Perfect timing. You can help me sort." Paige ordered with a sly grin. Piper looked down at her feet trying to find a path through the flowers to get to Paige's side, but every inch of the floor was covered.

"How? I can't move." Piper stated, still stunned. In response, Paige began picking up some flowers trying to make a trail through.

"I'll meet you halfway." She offered while Piper nodded and began doing the same. As agreed the sisters met and walked back to the tiny circle that had been cleared for Paige to stand it. Both sisters barely fit and every time one turned around to face a different direction they knocked flowers out of the others hands. "Careful!" Paige snapped after the fifth time Piper almost knocked something over. Piper gave a frustrated sigh and threw all the flowers up into the air, throwing her hands out after them so that they froze above her and Paige's heads. She dropped her hands in satisfaction while Paige looked up warily. "Are they going to stay that way?"

"Doubtful, but maybe we'll be able to clear more room before they unfreeze and have to clean them up." Piper replied, before taking a few flowers away from Paige so her little sister might be able to see something. "So what's the plan?" "Well, all these flowers are either for you or Phoebe so I figured all of Phoebe's could be moved to the kitchen, while yours can go in the Solarium." Paige suggested, taking the labels on the flowers in her hands and reading the recipient name. Piper gave a slight nod, shaking off the uneasiness she felt at so many flowers for her. She looked at the flowers in her hands. Several of them were hers but the names of the senders she only vaguely recognized or didn't at all. It took the better part of an hour to separate the huge piles of flowers and several boxes of chocolates before Piper and Paige collapsed into chairs in the kitchen with some coffee. Their chitchat was interrupted by Phoebe entering the Manor.

"I'm home." Phoebe shouted through the house the moment she entered. She noticed a few vases of flowers along the Foyer that Piper and Paige had left. As she walked through on her way to the kitchen she grabbed a small bundle of flowers and a piece of chocolate that she ate. She halted upon entering the kitchen and seeing flowers after flowers with two of her sisters barely visible among them.

"You're home early." Piper commented with false cheeriness as she caught sight of Phoebe.

"Yeah, so are you." Phoebe retorted sitting her small bundle down next to all the vases of flowers and undoing her jacket. "What's with all the flowers? Are you and Jack fighting already?" She asked slowly.

"I wish." Piper muttered, sitting back in her chair and causing her sisters to look at her in surprise.

"The flowers were on the doorstep when I got home." Paige explained for Phoebe's benefit when Piper didn't appear as if she would elaborate what she knew. A short silence fell between them.

"They're from men I barely know and men I've never met." Piper finally spoke up again, voicing her main problem with the situation. "All the flowers in here are for you." She added while Phoebe picked up a large vase and moved it off her seat and forced it onto the table with the other flowers.

"Oh, well. I know they're not from Hans." Phoebe replied, her voice a higher pitch from a half-funny situation.

"You two looked pretty well off this morning." Paige pointed out, indirectly prompting Phoebe for an explanation for the sudden change of attitude. Phoebe's eyes narrowed at some unpleasant event while Piper raised her eyebrows curiously.

"He wouldn't leave me alone all night. He kept touching me and practically every guy at the bar was hitting on me. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I ditched Hans and left him at the club." Phoebe explained. She sent a glare at the knowing look Paige was giving her, but otherwise went silent for a moment. "So how was your date?" She asked Piper with false merriment, shifting the attention to her.

"Perfect, everything was perfect, even my faults were perfect." Piper responded, her bad mood showing through in her voice.

"Is that bad?" Paige wondered curiously, glancing from Piper to Phoebe and back again. Piper sighed and gave a slight nod as she sat her coffee mug down on the table.

"It wasn't real. Everything he said, everything he felt. It was because of the spell, not because of me." Piper tried to explain so her sisters could understand; it was just one big letdown.

"Piper, you don't know that. Maybe he meant every word. Maybe if it hadn't been for the spell, he would've never had a chance to feel those things, let alone say them." Phoebe offered, heartbroken at seeing her sister so upset with the results.

"No, love is a magic between two people that cannot be explained and cannot be conjured. What we did, it's just… it wasn't right." Piper disagreed as Kit jumped onto the table with a meow.

"Looks like poor Kitty is in Hell too." Paige pointed out with a frown pointing to the windows where lots of cats were trying to crawl through. Paige got up from her seat and went through shutting them down while Phoebe picked up Kit and began to pet her.

"Go away horny tom cats." Phoebe snapped playfully from her seat.

"Let's reverse the spell." Piper suggested eagerly. Phoebe nodded but further conversation was ended by the sound of the phone ringing through the house. Piper got to her feet and picked up the phone off the counter while Paige returned to her seat next to Phoebe. "Hello? Prue, where are you?" Piper answered, suddenly sounding worried. With a stab of guilt she realized that she'd been so focused on her guy problems she forgot to be watching out for Prue. Now that she was thinking about it, Prue's fear flooded into her,  
increasing her worry.

 

Bucklands

At Bucklands, after successfully getting Rex to leave, Prue began frantically gathering all her supplies together while she called her sisters for some help.

"I'm uh, still at the office. Look, I fell asleep and that man from my dream, he tried to kill me again." Prue explained hastily, gathering everything in her arms.

"What?" Piper replied, stunned. Paige and Phoebe both looked up, worry clouding their eyes, as Piper failed to control hers.

"Yeah, I don't understand why. All I know is that I'm only safe if I'm awake. If I fall asleep, I'm dead." She responded.

"Well, stay where you are. We'll come get you." Piper promised, but on the other end Prue shook her head despite knowing they couldn't see her. She couldn't even think about staying in this room any longer.

"No, I don't want to stay here another minute." Prue snapped fearfully.

"Paige will orb you back here." Piper offered nervously. Paige stood up as if ready to orb as soon as Piper said the word.

"No, I'll be fine. I promise. I can't leave the car. It would be suspicious and… and Rex might walk in any minute again. Look, I just want you to look in the Book of Shadows and see if you can find anything on this guy. He calls himself a dream sorcerer, okay?" Prue ordered and before Piper could protest, hung up. Piper glared at the phone as if it was its fault Prue had hung up on her. She glanced at Phoebe.

"Attic. Book. Dream Sorcerer. Find something. Anything. Now." She directed immediately before turning to Paige. "You… orb to her office and stop her. I don't care if you have to orb her car all the way over here, but orb her home. Go." Piper hissed. Immediately Paige disappeared in the swirl of blue and white lights while Phoebe dashed up the stairs, leaving Piper alone in the kitchen to plan and eventually follow after Phoebe to the attic. "Tell me you got something." Piper pleaded as she ran into the attic.

"Nothing." Phoebe answered shortly.

"Nothing?" Piper echoed in disbelief.

"Nada." Phoebe repeated, not looking up from the book to glance at Piper.

"There's gotta be something." Piper stated, running up beside Phoebe and looking over the pages.

"I'm telling you there's no dream sorcerer stuff anywhere." Phoebe snapped in frustration, backing away from the book so Piper could reach it better. There was a swirl of lights and Paige reappeared looking scared, no Prue in sight.

"Well, where is she?' Piper demanded when Paige didn't immediately respond. Paige flinched and bit her lip nervously.

"She wasn't there." She answered hurriedly, looking away from her sisters' gaze.

"What do you mean she wasn't there?" Phoebe asked, a little more in control of her emotions than Piper, but starting to reach frantic status. Piper glanced up from the book, her eyes boring into her baby sister.

"Prue must have left before I got there. Neither she nor her car was anywhere near the building." Paige clarified softly.

"Can't you orb specifically to her?" Phoebe pleaded hopefully.

"I haven't mastered that yet… If she's in the car then she's moving and sometimes I miss." Paige replied guiltily while Piper ignored them and started flipping through the book again. "Did you find anything?" She questioned, looking directly at Phoebe.

"Nothing." Phoebe repeated what she had previously told Piper.

"Which is impossible. The Book of Shadows has never let us down." Piper hissed defiantly, her eyes following the titles on each page, searching.

"Well, maybe he's not a demon. Maybe he's a mortal." Phoebe suggested with a shrug. Piper finally stopped her frantic flipping and thought about Phoebe's guess.

"Then he's got one hell of a power." Piper muttered, backing away from the book.

"Demon, mortal. There's gotta be some way to stop him." Paige pointed out, taking her turn at the book and flipping through it, just as the other two had just done. The three Halliwell sisters looked towards the door as the phone began ringing.

"That has to be Prue." Piper whispered worriedly. After a moment's hesitation she took off to answer it until Phoebe grabbed hold of her, pulling her back.

"Wait! What are you going to tell her? That we can't help her? That she can never go to sleep?" Phoebe queried in desperation. In response, Piper just shrugged and raced down to the phone, followed closely by her two younger sisters.

 

Prue's Car/ The Halliwell Manor

Prue hastily dialed the number to the Manor and placed the phone to her ear while keeping one hand on the wheel to her car.

"Come on, answer the phone." She pleaded, as she drove her car down the dark road toward the house.

Piper grabbed the phone just before the answering machine picked up, Phoebe and Paige crowding around her to listen.

"Hello?" She answered, a little breathless from the desperate run.

"Hey, did you, um, find anything?" Prue demanded as soon as Piper had answered the phone.

"No, we didn't, but don't worry. You're not in this alone. Phoebe, Paige, and I are going to help you." Piper replied truthfully, trying to control her own fear instead of dropping it all on Prue who was scared enough at the moment, even if she wouldn't admit it.

"How can you help me if we don't even know what he is?" Prue retorted causing Piper to sigh loudly on the other end.

"The most important thing right now is for you to get home safely." Piper returned carefully.

"Yeah, okay, um, look. Just keep talking. Don't let me fall asleep." Prue pleaded, taking deep steadying breaths as she fought against exhaustion and fear. Piper hesitated answering and looked back at her sisters who were staring at her, hungry for news on Prue.

"She sounds exhausted." Piper whispered to them. Phoebe immediately snatched the phone from Piper and spoke to Prue in a loud voice that people couldn't ignore. She hoped Prue wouldn't be able to fall asleep with her talking.

"Okay, Prue. Blast the air conditioning, crank the stereo and roll down the windows. Wait, don't crank the stereo…" Phoebe backtracked and then turned to Piper and Paige.

"What's that song that we always used to sing when we were little?"

"The road trip song?" Paige suggested uncertainly.

"Yeah, let's sing that. Did you hear that, Prue?" Phoebe called obnoxiously into the phone.

"Yeah, okay." Prue agreed with the slightest of nods.

"Alright, I'm going to hand you to Paige so you can hear her beautiful singing versus mine and Piper's excuse for singing." Phoebe announced and then handed the phone to Paige.

"Wait! Won't a nice voice make her fall asleep? You sing it obnoxiously so she won't be able to fall asleep unless she's deaf." Paige argued, pushing the phone back into Phoebe's hand while Piper nodded in agreement to her baby sister.

"Alright, never mind. Don't worry, Prue. Everything's going to be fine. Nothing's going to happen" Phoebe offered assurance over the phone that was broken off abruptly when someone banged loudly on the front door.

"Phoebe?" A man's voice carried through the front door. Phoebe's eyes widened and she pulled the phone away from her ear while Piper and Paige jumped.

"Hans?" Phoebe called slowly, a little freaked out.

"Let me in! I have to see you!" Hans shouted, banging on the door again.

"Go away!" Phoebe yelled. The three sisters in the Manor jumped as Hans broke down the door and stormed in. "Are you crazy? What are you doing?"

"Piper, Phoebe, Paige?" Prue spoke into the phone, worry now in her voice. She could hear the door break and her fear switched to fear for her sisters when no one answered.

"You left me! How could you leave me?" Hans continued to shout. Phoebe dropped the phone in panic. Piper and Paige grabbed her from behind and pulled her back, away from the angry Hans.

"Hans, please." Phoebe began, putting her hands up in a sign for surrender, but he ignored her.

"Ever since I met you I can't do anything. Eat, drink, sleep. All I can do is think about you!" He accused, closing the distance between them.

"Piper, Phoebe, Paige?" Prue whispered again, exhaustion beginning to close her eyes. The Dream Sorcerer appeared next to her in the passenger's seat as if he had been waiting for Prue to fall asleep again.

"The time is now, Prue. We're almost there." The Dream Sorcerer laughed.

There was a honk of a car horn and the bright lights of its head lights that jolted Prue awake again.

"Piper, Phoebe, Paige! Where are you?" She screamed fearfully into the phone.

"What have you done to me?" Hans demanded, pointing angrily at the present Halliwells. Phoebe screamed and they ran back behind the stairs away from him. He picked up a vase of flowers and threw it at them. 

Piper threw her hands out and it froze in mid-air along with Hans.

"You okay?" Piper breathed to her sisters.

"Uh, I think so." Paige whispered, from behind Piper.

"I'm fine…" Phoebe answered and then remembered Prue on the phone. "Prue!" The three sisters ran back to the phone while Prue succumbed to the welcoming darkness, dropping the phone. "Prue? Prue?" Phoebe screamed into the phone. "She's not there." She whispered frantically to Piper and Paige.

"Say goodnight, Prue." The Dream Sorcerer whispered in Prue's ear as the car drove straight for a utility pole. The Dream Sorcerer grinned and laughed manically as the car slammed into it.

Paige grabbed the phone from Phoebe and redialed Prue's number, desperately waiting to hear her eldest sister's voice tell her everything was okay. "She's not answering." She sighed in defeat, slamming the phone back down.

"Okay, orb to her! I don't care if you miss. I don't care where she is. You orb to her and help her." Piper ordered. She suddenly felt Prue's emotions vanish, but she was unwilling to panic her younger sisters. Paige gave a slight nod and orbed to Prue. At first she was sure she'd orbed to the wrong place as she turned out in the middle of the street, but she glanced around and saw the car totaled on the utility pole.

"Prue!" She screamed and ran to her eldest sister. Paige froze for a moment, reliving her adoptive parents' car crash before forcing herself to help her sister. "Phone." She ordered and Prue's cell phone orbed from the floor of the car to her hand. She glanced at it and was relieved to see it light up as she called 911. Paige reached through to unbuckle her sister's seat belt. She knew not to move Prue in case something was broken, but the less the medics had to do the sooner Prue would get help. She successfully unbuckled the seat belt but as she pulled back she cut a deep gash into her arm from the broken window glass. Holding back the tears she heard an answer from 911. "It's my sister. We were in a car crash." She hurriedly explained, clutching at her arm.

"Can't fall asleep…" Prue whispered semi-conscious, but unaware of the presence of her baby sister or any of her surroundings.

 

The Bay General Hospital

Prue was hastily pushed down the hallway of the Trauma One section of the hospital by one of the paramedics. The doctor that would be helping Prue ran down the hallway and followed beside the moving stretcher.

"Trauma One. What have you got?" The doctor called as she raced down the hallway. The paramedic pushed the clipboard with Prue's information, which Paige had filled out, into the doctor's hands.

"A twenty five year old female. One-on-one. Car versus utility pole. Bp 80 over 40. Pulse 110. Semi-conscious at the scene." The paramedic listed what she knew as she pushed

Prue through several rooms and the doctor flipped through her information. The doctor dropped the clipboard onto the end of Prue's stretcher and leaned over, shining a light in her eyes.

"The pupils are responsive. Miss Halliwell, hang in there." The doctor noted and ran ahead to give orders to some nurses.

"Must stay awake. Must stay awake." Prue whispered as they continued to wheel her around.

"Where's X-Ray? I want a C-Spine now." The doctor ordered as they finally set Prue up in the room the doctor had just entered. The nurses crowded around, some hooking Prue up to machines, while others prepared to lift her onto a hospital bed. "1, 2, 3." The doctor called and Prue was lifted off the stretcher onto the nearby bed.

"Resps are down to thirty five. Pulse-ox is falling." Another doctor observed.

"How can that be? Give me 500 mics of dopamine, and get ready to intubate. Stay with us, Miss. Halliwell… Damn, she's unconscious." The first doctor replied after checking Prue's pupils again.

Prue awoke to find herself once again in the red-tinged building dream world. Prue glanced groggily up at the Dream Sorcerer, still lying on the hospital bed.

"How did I get here? I'm not…" She began but her thought was finished by Berman.

"… Asleep? Actually, you're unconscious. You fell asleep at the wheel. Hit a pole. Terrible, terrible thing." He laughed as Prue, beginning to panic, reached beside her to grab a phone. "Speaking of pain, you really hurt me last night." The Dream Sorcerer commented, glancing at his glove covered hand that she had stabbed. "And not just my feelings."

"Suffer." Prue snapped shortly, beginning to dial a number on the phone for her sisters. Berman laughed at her and snatched the phone from her hands and tossed it away.

"We're definitely out of range." He explained before reaching over to grab a glass of wine from the side table. "Would you like a little wine with your death?" Berman mocked her, handing the glass to her. Prue flashed him a glare and knocked the glass out of his hand, sending it crashing to the ground where it shattered. In anger, Berman rolled her bed  
closer to the edge of the building, making her scream.

 

The Dream Lab

"Mr. Berman insists that he's not to be disturbed during his experiments." The technician replied to Andy and Darryl's demand to speak with him again.

"I don't care. We want to talk to him. Just wake him up." Andy snapped, pacing back and forth outside the room Mr. Berman was asleep in. The technician looked over at the sleeping form of his boss.

"It's not going to be easy. He's heavily sedated." He warned the two cops nervously. Andy's eyes narrowed in impatience. Berman could be attacking his next chosen victim this very second and this guy was offering excuses.

"Just get to work." Andy vented his worry onto the technician. The technician moved away to wake up Berman while Andy stared through the glass walls with impatience.

"I hope you're right about this." Darryl commented, not entirely sure how far to believe his partner.

"I know I am." Andy insisted, pausing a moment to lean closer to the glass wall. "Question now isn't if Berman is going to kill again, but who."

 

The Bay General Hospital

Prue glanced down and rubbed her hand over the nice evening dress that she was now suddenly wearing.

"Do you like the dress?" Berman asked, his eyes flickering over her body.

"I've worn better." Prue replied harshly and defiantly to this guy that was practically holding her prisoner. The Dream Sorcerer raised his eyebrows at her continuing defiance, appearing impressed.

"Hmm… yeah." He acknowledged before leaning forward and picking her up off the bed despite her weak struggling against him.

Phoebe and Piper raced through the hallways of the hospital searching for Prue and Paige. They nearly ran into Paige at the reception desk who was waiting for her sisters to arrive. Unfortunately, there was no one at the desk to ask about Prue.

"Paige!" Piper called in surprise, pulling her baby sister into a tight hug. "What happened? Are you okay?" She demanded.

"When I got there, Prue had already crashed so I called 911." Paige answered simply, her eyes wide with a fear and shock. "I told them I was in the back and only got this. It's not so bad." She finished, pointing at the now-gauzed wound.

"Is Prue okay?" Phoebe asked quickly, searching for any sign of her eldest sister.

"I don't know. These doctors are so damn frustrating. They won't tell me anything, but I do know she went into Trauma One. I don't know if she's still in there." Paige vented before pointing behind her two sisters at the restricted entrance to the Trauma One section. Finally, a receptionist returned to the desk. He had not been there a split moment before Phoebe jumped down his throat.

"Prue Halliwell? Is she okay?" Phoebe demanded while Piper stabbed her demanding sister in the ribs with her elbow.

"You called us a little while ago about our sister, Prue Halliwell." Piper repeated more politely to the receptionist who began to look through the files.

"Your sister is still in Trauma One. If you go down to the waiting room a doctor will be with you in a moment." The receptionist answered, pointing in the opposite direction as the Trauma One section.

"Thank you." Piper acknowledged, grabbing her sisters' hands and pulling them in the direction he pointed in. She glanced over as he disappeared into the file room and immediately changed directions to enter the Trauma One section.

"What are we doing?" Paige whispered, her eyes flickering around to see if anyone was watching them.

"Prue needs us now." Piper replied shortly. "Is anyone watching?" Phoebe gave a slight shake of her head and Piper pushed into the restricted section and dragged her sisters behind her.

 

The Dream Lab

"Mr. Berman! Mr. Berman, wake up!" Andy shouted through the glass and banged on the wall trying to get Mr. Berman's attention. He couldn't explain it, but something was making him more nervous. Someone was in danger of this guy. They needed to wake him up immediately. "I don't care what it takes, you wake him up. Now!" Andy ordered the technicians crowding around. He hit the glass again. "Mr. Berman, wake up!"

 

The Bay General Hospital

"Wake up, Berman!" Andy's voice drifted into Prue's dream prison that Berman stubbornly ignored, determined to have as much fun as he could. He ran his hands over Prue's body, pleased that she was now too weak to struggle against him.

"Andy…" Prue whispered desperately.

Her sisters had now reached her side and were crowded around her.

"We're here, Prue. Right beside you." Piper breathed to her eldest sister, praying she could hear them.

"Can you hear us?" Phoebe whispered, stroking her sister's raven-dark hair.

"Come on, Prue. Beat this guy up like you would my ex-boyfriend." Paige added encouragingly.

"Prue?" Piper's voice drifted in.

"Piper, Phoebe, Paige?" Prue called weakly.

"Prue?" This time it was Phoebe's voice followed almost immediately by Paige's.

"They can't help you. You're mine now." Berman laughed, lifting Prue up and slowly carrying her towards the edge of the building.

Phoebe glanced fearfully up at her sisters, not sure what to say.

"I'm scared." She admitted, tears filling her eyes. Tears had already begun to fall from Paige's dark eyes.

"I know. Me too." Piper replied softly.

"What are we supposed to do?" Paige whispered, her eyes focusing on Piper, the eldest with them. Piper bit her lip slightly, but knew what to say.

"We don't let her give up. Prue, you have to fight this guy." Piper told her gently.

"Don't leave us." Phoebe pleaded, holding Prue's lifeless hand between hers.

"We need you… I need you." Paige added, taking Piper's hand for comfort.

"Use your power, Prue." Piper whispered.

"Come back to us." Paige breathed, her voice cracking at the end.

"Use your power." "You can do it." Her sisters' voices called to her. Pleaded with her. Ordered her to fight.

"Where are you?" Prue asked. She needed them here, where their voices were more than just drifts.

"You're powerless." The Dream Sorcerer told her, drowning out her sisters' voices and sending Prue farther into hopelessness.

Piper frowned at the unresponsiveness of her eldest sister and let go of Paige's hand to take Prue's from Phoebe.

"What are you doing?" Phoebe questioned, noticing the determined look in Piper's eyes.

"If this bastard can jump into Prue's mind without any connection to her at all. I should be able to as well if I concentrate." Piper replied, not entirely sure if it was true or not, but maybe it was. She didn't know how the Dream Sorcerer broke into Prue's mind but Prue and she were linked. Surely Prue's telepathy was stronger than whatever he did. All she had to do was tap into the power. She focused on Prue, like she did when she was searching for information from her. At first there was nothing, but she began to see an outline of a scene. Prue, in the Dream Sorcerer's arms next to the edge of a building. That had to be it… It was like Prue had described. Suddenly there was a jerk and the beeping of the hospital machines disappeared. She opened her eyes and looked around. Her sisters were gone; Prue's hand was gone from her.  
Now she was on the building she had been looking at and… there at the edge was her eldest sister. "Prue?" She shouted, causing Berman to spin around in surprise.

"How'd you get here?" He demanded, but instead of waiting for an answer, forced Prue up onto the last step of the building. Nobody was going to stop him, not the cop, and not the sister. He glanced down at Prue, a little disappointed that he had to end it rushed, but there wasn't much of a choice now. Prue hardly noticed him moving her closer to the edge. Her blue eyes were staring in shock at Piper.

"Use your power, Prue!" Piper shouted, dashing toward them. Her eyes flashed in fear as she saw Berman getting ready to push Prue over the edge. She wouldn't make it across the roof before then. "Use your power against him!"

"Shall I say goodnight?" Berman asked calmly, kissing her lightly on top of her head. He glanced at Piper, but it was obvious she wouldn't be able to reach them. Prue's eyes hardened into blue flints. Piper had found a way here. She sure as hell wasn't dying now.

"No, let me… Goodnight." Prue whispered, closing her eyes. She felt the familiar flow of power through her and heard his scream as he was thrown off the building, leaving Prue on the edge and Piper still running toward them.

 

The Dream Lab

Berman was yelling in his sleep as if he was falling, the technicians were running back and forth around the machines trying to find out what was wrong and to try to wake him up, and Andy and Darryl stared in stunned silence as his yell was cut short as he suddenly died.

"I don't believe it. He's dead." Andy spoke first, turning away from the scene. Darryl glanced from his partner to Berman and back again.

"I'll never doubt you again." Darryl stated. Even from this distance you could tell Berman's body had been crushed, just like his suspected victims.

 

The Bay General Hospital

Piper gasped and fell back in surprise at the sudden return to reality while Prue jerked slightly awake at the same moment. Phoebe and Paige were staring back and forth in stunned silence, not entirely sure what had just happened except that not only Piper was awake again, but Prue was as well.

"Prue?" Paige whispered.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe demanded, still stroking her eldest sister's hair though her eyes flickered between both Piper and Prue, directing the question to both of them.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Prue replied hoarsely, trying to look around at Piper who had come up to stand between Phoebe and Paige. "Thanks, Piper." Piper smiled and took her sister's hand again.

"Just don't get mad at me… I didn't do anything you wouldn't have done." Piper offered a joke to lighten the mood.

"What about the uh…?" Phoebe wondered while Paige stabbed her hard with a finger to keep her from mentioning it since obviously Piper and Prue were okay.

"He's gone." Prue responded softly while Piper nodded in agreement. Phoebe allowed a small smile while Paige snatched Prue's hand from Piper and pressed it against her tearstained face.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" She exclaimed causing Prue to laugh a little and tighten her hold on her baby sister's hand.

Late afternoon the next day, Prue had been moved to a regular room and was finally allowed to have visitors. Obviously the restrictions against visitors hadn't stopped her sisters so nothing much changed except they weren't shooed out every ten minutes. Prue was sitting up in her bed reading a magazine when Piper, Phoebe, and Paige crashed a trolley of flowers into the edge of the door. One of the vases fell over and Phoebe made a desperate grab for it, almost letting it drop in her laughter.

"Knock, knock." Phoebe called cheerfully, standing the vase back up. Prue grinned and slammed her magazine shut, willing her sisters closer since everyone got mad at her if she tried to get up.

"Please tell me you guys are here to pick me up." Prue pleaded as the other three Halliwell sisters began spreading the flowers out around the room in decoration.

"No, Dr. Black said, one more day. Just to be sure." Piper reminded her, coming to sit at the foot of Prue's bed.

"Yeah, and you know, it wouldn't kill you to get some rest." Phoebe pointed out and then realized what she had said. Her eyes widened and she flung her hand over her mouth in apology.

"Phoebe!" Paige reprimanded while Prue just waved it off.

"It's okay you two. Thanks for the flowers!" Prue thanked gratefully. Phoebe smiled and sat down on Prue's right side of the bed and Paige walked around to sit on her left side.

"Yeah." Piper laughed, causing Prue to narrow her eyes and the other two Halliwells to giggle.

"Lust flowers, I'm flattered. So you reversed the spell?" Prue giggled and looked around at them for an elaboration.

"Yeah, last night after I told them 'I told you so.'" Paige replied teasingly, receiving a smack from Phoebe who had hit her over Prue.

"Piper called Jack." Phoebe began and Prue's attention shifted to Piper.

"The guy you had dinner with…" Prue stated.

"And he didn't remember anything. So Phoebe called Hans." Piper responded pleasantly, the attention then shifting to Phoebe.

"And he didn't remember anything." Phoebe finished.

"So, don't worry. Everything is back to normal." Paige added cheerfully and Prue nodded, happy with the results.

"Afternoon, Ladies. Surprise!" Andy interrupted the conversation dramatically, carrying a rose and a bag of take-away food, much better than hospital food. All four sisters looked up, smiling in surprise.

"Yes, it is." Prue agreed, casting a playful glare at Phoebe who pretended to be hurt by the accusation.

"What are you lookin' at me for? I didn't tell him." Phoebe complained good-naturedly. Prue's eyes flickered to Paige. Paige held her hands up in a sign of innocence so everyone looked over at Piper who was smiling innocently.

"Guilty." Piper admitted and then pointed at Phoebe and Paige. "Come on, you two. Let's go." She ordered.

"Okay. Bye, Prue, Andy." Phoebe called following Piper while Paige gave Prue a hug before following her older sisters.

"We'll see you later tonight." Paige promised, turning back a moment.

"After we raid your closet." Phoebe added with a giggle, lingering behind to watch Andy and Prue until Piper grabbed her hands and pulled her along with Paige. Andy waved to the sisters and sat down next to Prue's bed, and gave her the take-away bag.

"I brought your favorite." He told her while she opened it and looked in.

"Ooh… cheeseburgers and fries." She stated longingly.

"I'm glad to see every bone in your body's not broken." Andy commented lightly with a laugh. Prue glanced up at him curious at his choice of words.

"What?" She asked, wondering if he knew more about everything than she thought.

"The car accident. Never mind." Andy backtracked, giving Prue the rose and kissing her gently on the cheek. The three younger Halliwell sisters, who had lingered despite Piper trying to leave, smiled and giggled at the Prue-Andy scene before they finally turned and left.


	11. Wedding from Hell Part 1

Wedding from Hell

The Garden of the Spencer Estate

A young woman slowly walked through the garden trying to clear her head from all the formal arrangements that came with preparing for a wedding. She fingered the beautiful flowers that were spread across the rich family's garden as she walked by. She turned around a particularly large bush, coming to a halt when a familiar face presented her with a large white rose.

"Mrs. Allison Spencer, I presume," he joked, passing the flower to her, causing her to smile and temporarily forget about her worries.

"You mean, Mrs. Allison Michaels-Spencer, don't you?" Allison argued lightly as she took a sniff of the beautiful rose.

"You wanna be alone?" he asked gently, recognizing the uncertainty in her eyes as she repeated her soon-to-be name.

They turned down the garden path when Allison gave a quick shake of her head. "No," she answered simply, turning to face him.

The smile on his face wavered slightly as he got the feeling Allison was just telling him what he wanted to hear. "You're not getting cold feet are you?" he questioned with a hint of worry in his voice.

"No, Elliot, I'm definitely not getting cold feet. I love you, you know that," Allison insisted whole-heartedly. She immediately felt guilty for even making him think along those lines. After all, it wasn't exactly that she was having second thoughts; all the changes were just very overwhelming.

"But…" Elliot prompted, hearing it in her voice.

"I don't know, it's just so overwhelming. I mean, after all these years of dreaming about us getting married, I just, I don't want anything bad to happen, that's all," she admitted with a little difficulty of phrasing exactly what she wanted to say.

Elliot listened silently before flashing a mischievous grin to his fiancée. "I have an idea. Let's elope," he suggested leaning closer to Allison who laughed lightly at the idea.

"Yeah, right. Like your mom would really allow that," Allison giggled, pulling Elliot down for a gentle kiss. They reluctantly pulled apart when a third party finally found them.

"Elliot!" Elliot's mother called as she made her way down the garden, impatience lightening her steps.

"Speak of the devil," Allison muttered, taking a step back while Elliot looked around her to his quickly approaching mother.

"Hi, mom," he greeted politely.

"I have been looking all over for you. Did you get the marriage certificate yet?" Elliot's mother demanded as soon as she had stopped in front of them.

"Not yet," Elliot replied, taking Allison's hand in his as he tried to reassure his mother.

"Well, you have to. The wedding won't be legal without it," his mother snapped, sounding worried and stressed.

"We're going to City Hall tomorrow before the rehearsal dinner," Allison spoke up calmly in an effort to reassure her future mother-in-law.

"But why not go today?" Elliot's mother insisted to the young couple. How could she explain the urgency in this simple act to them? They who had no knowledge of what was really out there.

"Mom, relax, will you. Why are you so bent about this?" Elliot asked with a roll of his eyes.

His mother sighed at their honest defiance, but before she could say anything, Allison looked behind her to find another young woman watching them from afar. "Who's that?" Allison wondered aloud. She nodded her head in the direction of the woman.

Elliot's mother turned to look and silently gasped in recognition. "Oh, no," she whispered. She knew immediately that Elliot and Allison's wedding was over. They hadn't gotten the marriage certificate in time. She looked at the newly arrived young woman almost with a hint of defiance despite knowing the results.

"Who is it?" Elliot demanded, looking from his mother to the woman watching them.

"Someone I haven't seen for a long time," his mother answered cryptically, not taking her eyes off the path and the woman. Her eyes flickered to look over Elliot and Allison where she offered them a final smile before leaving them staring in confusion after her. "What are you doing here?" Mrs. Spencer asked as she approached.

The young woman's eyes flashed to look over Elliot and Allison who had leaned into another kiss before landing on Elliot's mother. "What's the matter? Forget about our little pact?" the woman countered snobbishly.

"No, Jade, but I was hoping that you did," Mrs. Spencer returned, working to keep her voice under control. She took the following silence to look over the newly arrived young woman, Jade. "My God, you haven't aged in twenty years," she commented in surprise.

"You could've asked for eternal youth, Grace, instead of choosing wealth, power, all this. You've had a good life, haven't you?" Jade responded rhetorically before turning to meet her accomplice, another young and beautiful woman.

"Where to?" the woman asked, carrying all the bags.

"Oh, Kirsten, have the butler show us to our rooms. Tell him Mrs. Spencer was expecting us," Jade ordered, giving Elliot's mother a sly smile. Kirsten gave a slight nod before turning to walk into the building, leaving Jade and Grace alone on the path.

"You can't just move in here. People will be suspicious. What will I say?" Grace argued, angrily facing Jade.

"Say the truth. Say that your son has had a change of heart. That was our deal, remember? Don't worry, Elliot won't even know what you did until it's over," Jade snapped. Her eyes flickered over to where Elliot and Allison were talking. She waved her hand and Elliot collapsed to the ground.

"Elliot! Elliot!" Allison screamed, dropping down beside him and trying to shake him awake. "Help me, No!" she yelled, looking over at Grace and Jade for help. Grace glanced worriedly at her son and his fiancée, but didn't move while Jade smiled smugly and walked herself into the Spencer Estate.

 

One Week Later

The Halliwell Manor

"Piper? Are you still in there?" Paige called through the upstairs bathroom door, knocking impatiently on the closed door.

"I'm almost done," Piper promised, reading the instructions on the box for a home pregnancy test.

"Define almost…" Paige snapped impatiently, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Just give me another minute," Piper replied and then looked back at the box where it said 'one- three minute pregnancy test.' "Or two…" she changed her mind, just to be on the safe side as a minute had already passed.

"Are you positive?" Paige asked, making Piper double-take at her choice of words.

Piper's eyes flickered back to the pregnancy test. "I hope not," she whispered, but otherwise ignored Paige.

"I cannot be late today; Mr. Cowan says he'll fire me!" Paige exclaimed, running her hands through her untidy dark brown hair in frustration. In the bathroom, Piper just nodded as if expecting the response. "So, are you gonna hurry?" Paige prodded.

"Just use the bathroom downstairs," Piper snapped with a roll of her eyes.

"Prue is down there." Paige retorted irritably.

"Then kick her out."

"I can't and if I have to hear her talk about wanting to do a good job at her first biannual auction whatever-it-is-thing, then I'm going to scream," Paige grumbled through the door. "Plus, all my stuff is up here."

"Prue is exiting the bathroom as we speak. Just use my stuff, it's all down there," Piper insisted, waving the pregnancy test box towards the stairs as if her sister could see her hand movements.

"Then why are you….? Never mind," Paige let it go, turning away from the bathroom. "Prue, you better be out!" she yelled, not willing to leave the line outside the bathroom if it wasn't guaranteed that she would be able to get into the other one.

"Just left," Prue's voice drifted up the stairs as she passed by into the kitchen for her morning cup of coffee.

"Keep it available," Paige returned, taking off down the stairs. She didn't know if Phoebe was up yet, but just in case, she was getting in that bathroom. If Phoebe was in there, she was just going to orb in there and kick her out.

There was yell of triumph that announced Paige had succeeded in taking the downstairs bathroom when Phoebe came walking groggily down the hallway to stop outside the upstairs bathroom just as Piper turned back to look at the pregnancy test with the answer. "Piper!" Phoebe called, knocking on the door just as Paige had.

"I'll be right out," Piper promised, taking a deep breath to control her own frustration as she read the answer on her test.

"Is there any hot water left?" Phoebe asked while Piper irritably threw the pregnancy test box away in the trashcan and opened the door to meet Phoebe.

"What?" she demanded shortly.

"Am I in for a cold shower? Yes or No?" Phoebe repeated as she rubbed her eyes.

"At certain times in our life, a cold shower is probably a good thing," Piper pointed out which was answer enough for Phoebe's question.

"Not three mornings in a row, it isn't," Phoebe countered, pushing into the bathroom while Piper finally left to join the other three sisters downstairs. Phoebe immediately began to brush her teeth when her eyes caught sight of the pregnancy test box in the trashcan. She stopped and set her toothbrush down to pick it up. As she touched it, she jerked into a premonition.

Doctors were rushing around a woman as she gave birth. The child that came out was a demon, scaring the doctors.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Piper hastily ran back and forth from one side of the kitchen to the other as she pulled out trays and trays of hor's d'ouevres from the oven and placed them neatly along the counter space and tables until there wasn't an open space in the kitchen. From every tray there was one small empty spot where Paige grabbed one of the hor's d'ouevres and 'taste tested' them for food poisoning and various other elements. The phone rang just as Piper pulled out the last tray and Prue made her way to the refrigerator. Piper picked up the phone as she passed the drawer that she dropped her oven mitt in.

"Hello?" Piper answered into the phone before falling silent for several moments, listening. "Okay, thanks. Bye." She sighed, suddenly looking more worried than she had before the phone call.

"The four of us definitely need to figure out some kind of morning schedule," Prue announced as soon as she heard Piper hang up the phone. She poured herself another cup of coffee before turning to look at her sisters.

"I need to have an early bathroom slot because Mr. Cowan is on the verge of firing me so until I've redeemed myself I can't be late," Paige immediately jumped to the idea of a schedule.

Piper, on the other hand, wasn't paying attention to the conversation. "I think I'm going to be sick," she muttered, leaning against the counter with her head in her hand.

"In the upstairs or downstairs bathroom?" Prue teased, glancing up at her little sister. Paige smiled and held her hand out toward Prue for a cup of coffee which the elder Halliwell passed over.

"Maybe Phoebe can help me cater the Elliot Spencer wedding tomorrow," Piper mused, still ignoring her other sisters.

"How come I'm not invited?" Paige huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting as if hurt. Prue narrowed her eyes slightly suddenly taking interest in Piper's behavior.

"Don't you have to go to work or Mr. Cowan will fire you?" Piper pointed out mildly. "Besides you have helped, you've taste tested my food, which is very brave of you," she added when Paige still looked upset. Paige sighed in acknowledgement, falling silent upon thinking of getting fired.

"Well, before you ask anybody, shouldn't you check with the chef that hired you, first?" Prue asked, surprised to turn around and find Piper silently fuming.

"That would be Chef Moore," Piper replied, her voice a pitch higher due to her carefully controlled anger.

Prue gave a slight nod as if that explained everything. "Ah…" she sighed in understanding. Paige raised her eyebrows, prompting further explanation.

"Who is on his way to France and since technically the contract is with Quake, he is off the hook and I am on the line. Now I have to tell one of the richest families in the city that the chef they hired can't do their wedding. They're stuck with me and I hope they go for it," Piper ranted loud enough to make Paige take a step back toward Prue.

"Bright side? Who else can they hire in twenty four hours?" Prue pointed out encouragingly. "Piper, it's not the end of the world," she promised when Piper didn't appear reassured.

"What's not the end of the world?" Phoebe questioned as she entered the kitchen, still pondering her premonition.

"Piper's problem," Prue answered simply as Phoebe stopped beside Paige.

"Oh, you know too?" Phoebe replied sounding sympathetic toward Piper. It vaguely occurred to her that Prue was handling Piper being pregnant very calmly, but the ensuing conversation drove it out of her mind.

"She just told us," Paige responded lightly with a quick glance over at Phoebe.

"How do you know?" Piper wondered, looking at Phoebe curiously. Phoebe hadn't been here when she had gotten the phone call.

"Oh, I…" Phoebe began to explain that she found the pregnancy test in the bathroom, but was cut off as Prue spoke up. Phoebe let her hand drop that had been pointing toward the stairs, indicating the bathroom, but was interpreted by her sisters as meaning she had been in the next room and overheard.

"Piper can definitely handle this. Frankly, I don't even think anyone will notice," Prue added, causing Phoebe to give her a funny look as if she had gone crazy. Who wouldn't notice someone being pregnant?

"Exactly, you shouldn't even be worried. You've done it before," Paige agreed while Phoebe's look of confusion deepened. Phoebe placed her hands on her hips trying to figure out when Piper had been pregnant previously.

"I thought maybe you could help me," Piper pleaded hopefully, turning to face Phoebe with wide brown eyes.

"Me? What can I do?" Phoebe wondered sympathetically, willing to do anything to help her sister in this harsh scenario.

"Pick up some supplies, tie some bows, offer moral support if I panic and freeze anything. Ten bucks an hour," Piper offered expectantly waiting for a 'yes.'

"Ooh, I'd take it," Prue commented with a pointed look at Phoebe. "Good luck with the wedding," she called as she took her coffee and left for work. Phoebe frowned recognizing the look as 'you-better-help-Piper-or-I'll-be-really-pissed' look before her eyes flickered up to Piper and Paige.

"So will you do it?" Piper demanded.

"Yeah, sure," Phoebe agreed uncertainly, now that she realized they had been talking about a wedding and not pregnancy. She didn't know anything about weddings. Not that she knew anything about pregnancy either though.

"Okay. Here's a list of supplies I need. I'll go to the Spencer Estate and you can meet me there at 1:00," Piper ordered, picking up the list from off the table and passing it to Phoebe who read over it quickly.

"You guys were really just talking about a wedding?" Phoebe questioned wanting clarification, just to be sure.

"Yeah," Piper stated, not thinking anything of the question as she turned back to her trays of food.

Paige tilted her head in curiosity at the question. "What did you think we were talking about?" she asked curiously.

Phoebe hesitated slightly before mentioning anything. "Uh, Jeremy and his aftermath. You know, you slept with him," Phoebe finally answered, glancing over at Piper as she spoke though it was Paige's question.

Piper stiffened at the topic and turned to face Phoebe with a look of impatience. "Don't ever mention that warlock's name again. It's over. He's in demon Hell. End of Story," Piper warned slowly before prodding Phoebe along to work. "Weddings yes, Warlocks No. Am I clear? Good, because there is nothing in me that wants anything to do with Jeremy ever again," she finished, receiving a quick nod from Phoebe in understanding. With that she left the kitchen, leaving Phoebe and Paige alone.

"What'd you bring that up for?!" Paige hissed, lightly hitting Phoebe over the arm for her insensitivity.

Phoebe glanced over her shoulder where Piper could still be seen at the doorway picking up some transport bags for her hor's d'ouevres. "No reason in particular," Phoebe lied quickly, reaching out to pick up one of Piper's appetizers.

"I wouldn't touch those if I were you," Paige warned smiling slightly as Piper's voice drifted through right on cue as Phoebe almost ate one.

"Don't touch those!"

Phoebe frowned and reluctantly put it back down on the tray.

"Told you," Paige teased, glancing at her watch before waving farewell to Phoebe and heading for work.

 

Outside the Spencer Estate

Piper pulled up to the front gated entrance to the Spencer Estate carrying most of the wedding food in the back of her car. The intercom beeped as she stopped and rolled down her window.

"Yes, may I help you?" the man's voice asked through the intercom.

"Uh, my name is Piper Halliwell. I'm the caterer," Piper responded, turning away and biting her lip at mentioning caterer, guessing their response. Once these guys knew Chef Moore wasn't coming, the news would spread like wild-fire. That was if they actually believed her which she was worried about.

"I have a Chef Moore listed as the caterer," the voice countered.

"Yeah, there's been a change," Piper replied with a slight nod.

Their response didn't disappoint. "Sorry, ma'am."

"I've got ice sculptures melting over wedding cake. I have got to get in now," Piper insisted. She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Someone will be with you in a second," the voice called, a sigh evident in his tone. From the left side of the building two suited guys walked up to her van as the front gate was mechanically opened to let her through. She waited upon deciding they probably wanted to talk to her, but before they reached her another man knocked heavily on her front window, apparently desperate to gain Piper's attention.

Piper jumped and looked over at him in surprise. "Please, I have to get into the compound. This is a matter of utmost importance. I must get in," he pleaded desperately before the security guards grabbed him and pulled him away from Piper's van.

"Father Trask. We've been expecting you," the first security guard identified the man as they roughly kept a tight hold on him.

"Hey, easy on the padre, buddy," Piper warned, narrowing her eyes at their treatment of the priest.

"Go right ahead in, ma'am," the second security guard allowed, waving his hand that wasn't holding the priest in a sign to continue.

Father Trask struggled to get free from the security guards and get to Piper.

"She is the bearer of the demon child. Beware, Hecate," he yelled, his eyes boring into Piper who raised her eyebrows.

"Hecate? Okay…." Piper whispered to herself deciding he must be crazy. She put her car into drive and drove in while the security guards dragged the priest in behind her, heading for their compound.

 

Bucklands Auction House

"It's a Lassa Warrior fertility goddess. Very rare and very powerful. The tribe believed that its mere presence would help a woman conceive," Prue explained to Hannah one of the items displayed on Rex's desk.

"Hmmm… you take it. My biological clock's not the one that's ticking," Hannah commented with a pointed glance over her shoulder back at Prue. Prue frowned, ignored her comment and wrote something down on the notepad she was holding as Rex walked in behind her.

"Prue, your, um, sister's here to see you. She's waiting in your office," Rex told her as soon as he joined the two women in his office.

Prue glanced up curiously and turned to look at him. "Which sister?" she asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"The one who upon seeing your office said 'damn, I should go back to college,'" Rex quoted with a laugh.

"Phoebe," Prue guessed with a smile. "Well, for once her timing is good. The fertility icon has been catalogued," she announced, pointing back to the goddess Hannah and she were previously talking about.

Rex looked around her to the icon and frowned uncomfortably. "I'm sorry, it's, uh, no longer available," he revealed apologetically. Prue fell silent, a little frustrated at the waste of time. Without further comment she pushed the records in her hand to Hannah and left Rex's office for her own. Rex watched her leave before closing the door and looking irritably back at Hannah. "Hannah, that was very careless of you. You should know for whom we acquired this," Rex scolded, taking several steps toward his accomplice.

"Look, her sister's catering the wedding. Prue won't even be there," Hannah argued, appearing unfazed by his irritation.

~PO4~

When Prue entered her office, it was to find Phoebe laid back in her chair comfortably talking to a friend on the phone.

"Oh, gotta go," Phoebe hurriedly hung up and placed the phone back on the receiver as her sister finally came back. "This place rocks, no wonder you never want to come home," she complimented.  
Prue smiled slightly and waved her hand for Phoebe to get up. "Get out of my chair," she ordered lightly before Phoebe grabbed a notepad off Prue's desk and moved out of the way.

"I love also that you found time to scribble a morning shower schedule for we Halliwell sisters. I noticed that I'm last," Phoebe added in disappointment but with a hint of irritation.

Prue ignored the statement in favor of putting Phoebe on the defensive. "What are you doing here? I thought you were helping Piper with the wedding," Prue asked, leaning against her desk upon recognizing the look in Phoebe's eyes that said something- important- was- about- to- be- unveiled.

"I am, but I need to talk to you. Cut out Piper," Phoebe replied, a little nervously.

"You've got, uh, five minutes, go," Prue answered, making Phoebe even more nervous about breaking this kind of news to Prue so quickly. She could have a heart attack or a panic attack, or freak out and go crazy attack. You never know with Prue, especially since Piper had to be hiding it from the eldest Halliwell.

"Okay, uh, I had a vision this morning and in this vision there was a thing being born so I started to think back, oh, six, eight weeks ago…" Phoebe began hesitantly but trying to seem casual so Prue may not freak as much.

Prue looked down as she connected the dots quickly in her head and glanced up at Phoebe with wide blue eyes. "Oh my God, you're pregnant," Prue guessed.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes in confusion at Prue's outburst. "What?" she wondered, attempting to figure out where she could have gotten that from.

"That's why you came back from New York, isn't it?" Prue insisted, searching Phoebe's eyes for a lie, guilt, or any emotion, only to find confusion.

"No, but I shouldn't be surprised that you would think that. After all, I am the irresponsible sister, the black sheep who always screws up, the dark cloud over the Halliwell household," Phoebe ranted and showed no sign that she was going to stop until Prue broke her off.

"Phoebe…" Prue tried regaining her little sister's attention.

"Okay, I'm not pregnant," Phoebe assured Prue who immediately began to look confused by this entire conversation.

"But then why…" she began but was cut off by the younger Halliwell.

"Excuse me, I think I still have two more minutes," Phoebe pointed out, taking a short breath before continuing. "FYI you have other sisters you have had sex."

"Oh my God, Paigey!" Prue immediately guessed, shaking her head. "I knew I shouldn't have let her go out with him," she ranted and Phoebe raised her eyebrows curiously.

"I didn't know you had a problem with whatever his name was," Phoebe mused, thinking back to when Paige and her boyfriend had been going out for some hostility between him and Prue.

"I have a problem with anyone who gets my sister pregnant," Prue stated irritably, already heading for the phone to call up Paige.

Phoebe snapped from her reverie and grabbed hold of Prue's wrist which effectively stopped her.

"It's not Paige…" Phoebe began, causing Prue to fall silent not understanding who she was talking about. "Remember, Jeremy? The guy who blew up in the attic? The warlock boyfriend? Think about it, Prue. Because it wasn't me, it wasn't Paige, and Andy isn't a demon so it couldn't have been you having the demon child. It was Piper," she finished causing Prue to narrow her eyes slightly in thought.

"Piper's not pregnant…" Prue insisted, remembering the negative results on the pregnancy test she had used that morning. She didn't mention it because Piper had pleaded to keep it from them or Piper would never hear the end of it.

"If you don't believe me, you can believe my power," Phoebe replied, turning away from Prue and heading out the office, leaving a silent Prue to ponder the accuracy of home pregnancy tests.

Outside the Spencer Estate

Allison stood in the garden that led to the front door of the estate, her arms crossed in defiance as Elliot's mother advanced angrily toward her.

"You have to stop calling here, Allison. Do you understand?" Mrs. Spencer snapped, coming to stop in front of her son's now ex-fiancée.

"Do I understand? Are you kidding me? What the hell's going on? Why won't Elliot return any of my calls?" Allison screamed at Mrs. Spencer obviously barely restraining herself.

"I can't explain right now," Mrs. Spencer explained cryptically, unable to tell Allison the truth of the situation.

"You better damn well explain because I am not leaving here until you do. I have called the police, the sheriff, nobody will listen to me, nobody believes me," Allison replied, fighting to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Everything had changed so quickly and she didn't know how she could get Elliot back if she didn't understand why.

"I know how hard this must be…" Mrs. Spencer's voice softened in sympathy but she was cut off by Allison.

"Who is this Jade?" she asked, desperate to know.

"She's an old acquaintance of the family," Grace answered stoically. It was obvious she was uncomfortable talking about Jade, creating more suspicion in Allison.

"I don't believe that. Elliot would've told me about her," Allison argued softly.

"There are many things about our family that you will never understand," Mrs. Spencer countered. The sympathy she held for Allison disappeared in the heat of the argument as she was suddenly pushed into the defensive.

"Then let Elliot explain it to me. If he's going to marry somebody else, I want to hear it from him," Allison pleaded in desperation.

"It's over, Allison. That is all you need to know. Elliot doesn't love you anymore," Mrs. Spencer explained as simply as she could, making Allison flinch at the harsh 'truth.'

"How can you say that…?" she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

"I'm sorry. He's going to marry Jade D'Mon. Please, don't ever call here again," Mrs. Spencer ended the conversation and walked off back into the house leaving Allison standing by the gate.

 

The Spencer Estate

"Keep that at a simmer, not a boil," Piper berated, pointing to a pot that one of the other chefs was using to cook something for the wedding. The chef gave a slight nod and turned the heat down while Piper moved on to critique someone else. She laid her schedule down on the table and rubbed her temple to try and clear her head of the stress.

From the other room Phoebe finally entered the kitchen carrying all the bags of ingredients that Piper had put on her list. "Hey, Sis," Phoebe greeted, carrying the heavy bags to one of the large islands in the middle of the huge kitchen.

"Finally, did you get everything?" Piper demanded as she followed Phoebe and the groceries. She opened her mouth to speak to Phoebe, but her eyes saw another chef helper about to open the oven and she immediately turned to snap at him. "Wait, I've got buns in the oven!"

"You're not kidding…" Phoebe whispered to herself, dropping the groceries on the island and pulling some of them out for Piper.

"Phoebe, I expected you over an hour ago. Where have you been?" Piper interrogated while she leaned against the island.

"I went to see Prue," Phoebe answered promptly before turning to face her elder sister.

"At the Auction House? That's all the way down…" she began, but then it occurred to her that Phoebe wouldn't normally visit Prue at work. Not to mention she was unaware of Prue getting any visit. "What were you doing there?" Piper changed the direction of the conversation.

"Adding more bricks to the wall between us," Phoebe replied with false enthusiasm. Piper sighed about to say something when one of the butler's caught her attention.

"Mrs. Spencer and Miss D'Mon will see you now," the butler explained, causing Phoebe to turn around at the newest addition to their conversation.

Piper's eyes narrowed slightly at the latter name unable to remember anyone by that. "Miss D'Mon?" Piper asked uncertainly.

The butler rolled his eyes as if Piper should have known the answer. "The bride. Jade D'Mon," he responded shortly.

Piper's brown eyes filled with even more confusion as she pulled out her schedule and records for the wedding where the bride's name was listed as Allison Michaels. "But I thought the bride's name was Allison..." she began to question but was cut off fiercely by the butler.

"Does not like to be kept waiting." Silence fell between the two before Piper rolled her eyes and grabbed her papers and Phoebe's hand, pulling her little sister toward the meeting room.

"Okay," she mouthed crossly while Phoebe glanced at her sympathetically.

~PO4~

In the adjoining room Jade was being fitted for her wedding dress while Mrs. Spencer looked on proudly and enthusiastically commenting. The dress maker was just fitting the bottom of the dress when Piper and Phoebe were led into the room by the butler.

"Oh, my son is very lucky. You're going to be a beautiful bride, Jade," Mrs. Spencer complimented, walking around Jade to get a better view of the looks of the dress.

"Thank you, Grace," Jade answered politely while looking at herself in the mirror.

"Miss Piper Halliwell," the butler introduced Piper, effectively gaining the attention of Mrs. Spencer and Jade who both turned around to look at her.

"And her sister, Chopped Liver," Phoebe added bitterly at being ignored.

In response, she received a warning glance from Piper who then forced a smile for her audience. "Mrs. Spencer, it's so nice of you to see me," Piper thanked politely and then turned to Jade. "Um, wow, your dress, it's beautiful. I'd recognize the style anywhere. It's a Shiro, isn't it?" she guessed, her eyes flickering over the dress, impressed.

Jade glanced from Piper to Mrs. Spencer and back again. "Is it?" she asked unsure.

Mrs. Spencer immediately shot to cover Jade's ignorance before Piper and Phoebe could get suspicious. "Uh, how are things in the kitchen?" Mrs. Spencer questioned pleasantly.

Piper looked over her schedule for the report. "Um, right on schedule. The lobsters arrive tomorrow morning, the hor's d'ouevres are ready, Chef Moore is in France, and the puff pastries are baking," Piper read off, casually throwing in Chef Moore in the middle, hoping it would be overlooked. She flinched at their reaction to the news, though it was expected.

"What?!" Jade questioned, stepping away from the dress maker to approach Piper and Phoebe.

"Chef Moore is gone?!" Mrs. Spencer demanded the same time Jade stepped away, advancing ahead of the bride.

Piper hesitated for a moment before answering. "Yeah, um, I'll be handling the catering," she announced hesitantly.

"Charles, get me my pill," Mrs. Spencer ordered the butler, turning away from Piper and Phoebe, obviously unpleased with the situation.

"My wedding! It's ruined!" Jade exclaimed, glaring at Piper as if it was her fault.

"Oh, my, no, no, I- I would never let that happen. I know you may have made the deal with Chef Moore, but I have been involved with every step of the preparations. So if you'll let me, I can guarantee a wedding that your children and grandchildren will talk about for generations," Piper promised in an effort to reassure the family that she could handle it. That and to try and keep her job.

Phoebe sighed slightly at the mention of children. "Okay, okay, we don't need to talk about children just yet," she interrupted Piper's ongoing reassurance causing Piper to tilt her head in confusion at Phoebe's statement. "Look, you don't know me. Hell, I barely know me," Phoebe joked trying to lighten the mood. Piper and she laughed only to cut off abruptly when nobody else joined in. "Okay, uh, I do know my sister and she is the best damn chef in this city. No one, and I do mean no one, puts the love and tender care that Piper puts into her cooking. So, you should not only be grateful that Chef Moore bagged out, but you should consider yourselves lucky," she finished complimenting her sister and received a grateful half-smile from Piper.

"If there is even the slightest hitch, I will have your head," Jade warned, taking another step forward. Piper stared at her nervously while Phoebe's eyes narrowed in defense of her sister. "Kidding," Jade laughed turning away and walking back to the dress maker. Piper laughed hesitantly unsure if she had been kidding or not.

"Then it's settled," Grace agreed, waving her hand in dismissal of Piper and Phoebe.

"Uh, no. Actually there's just one more thing. I need to confirm the party trays for the bachelor and bachelorette parties tonight. Um, it looks like no decision has been made yet about the type of deli sandwiches for the bachelor party," Piper explained quickly.

"Whatever you decide is fine," Jade answered only to have Mrs. Spencer contradict her.

"I think my son can make any decisions about his own bachelor party," she pointed out mildly, causing Jade to turn back around with false excitement.

"Then we'll ask him together," Jade suggested, letting the dress maker continue hemming her dress.

"I thought it was bad luck to see the bride before the…" Phoebe began to joke, but was cut off when Piper pinched her arm to keep from offending the Spencers. "Ouch," she complained softly.

"Come on," Piper breathed, recognizing the dismissal and pulling her little sister out of the room back toward the kitchen.

Behind them the dress maker continued to hem the dress, but Jade moved quickly and she missed the dress, accidently sticking the needle in Jade's leg. The dress maker froze, expecting some kind of reprimand, but received in return an annoyed look from the bride. The dress maker was stunned by her apparent inability to feel the needle prick.

"Is there a problem?" Jade demanded, glancing down when the dress maker quit fixing the dress.

The dress maker hurriedly shook her head as she pulled the needle out. "No, no problem at all. Uh, I- I'm finished," she explained nervously while gathering her supplies around her.

"Then go." Jade ordered irritably.

~PO4~

Outside the Estate the security guards were patrolling the area for anything out of the ordinary.

"Hey, Darrin. Get over here!" One of the security guards called to another as the second security guard was passing the truck where several of his peers were congregating.

Darrin immediately went out of his course to meet the group. "What's the matter? What's happened?" Darrin questioned, coming to a stop in front of his fellow security guards.

"The priest. He got away from us," the security guard explained simply.

"What? Check the perimeters. Go!" Darrin ordered the two security guards in front of him. He reached up to flip on his radio for further instructions. "All sectors code three. Father

Trask is on the grounds. Find him." Darrin then left to search the grounds with the others.

Father Trask looked out from behind several boxes inside the truck as the security guards left. With a look out the door to check the coast was clear, he took off his priest robe and put on a different jacket. He hid the poignard in the belt of his pants and covered it with the jacket before heading towards the entrance of the Estate.

~PO4~

Inside, Allison carefully maneuvered through the many hallways trying to make her way to Elliot's room. She had to talk to him, find out what was going on. When she pushed silently into the room Elliot was reading a honeymoon magazine though he appeared almost in a stupor.

"Oh, Elliot. What have they done to you?" Allison whispered, sitting down beside the man she loved. Elliot sat his magazine down and looked at her blankly nearly making Allison cry when she noticed the lack of recognition in his dark eyes. "Listen to me, Elliot. You can't go through with this wedding. Jade doesn't love you, she barely even knows you," she pleaded, deciding to fight for this instead of giving into the despair. She froze when she heard the door open behind her as Jade, Grace, and Kirsten entered but she didn't take her eyes off Elliot.

"Well, if it isn't Allison," Jade announced smugly.

"Allison?" Elliot whispered, a flicker of recognition entering his eyes making Allison's heart flutter with hope.

"Yes," Allison answered with a half-smile, ignoring Jade completely.

"Don't just stand there, call security," Jade ordered, flashing a glare at Grace who nodded.

"Of course," Grace replied, turning to walk into the hallway for security.

"Don't bother. I was just leaving," Allison snapped, getting to her feet and stepping away from the bed and Elliot. Elliot's hand reached out for her, but she continued to step away.

"Let me show you the door," Kirsten suggested, leaving no debate in the suggestion. She grabbed Allison roughly by the arm and pushed her toward the exit. Grace followed behind her while Jade slammed the door behind them leaving her in the room with Elliot appearing none-too-happy.

~PO4~

On the main floor, Piper and Phoebe ran down the hall heading back to the kitchen as the security alarm rang through the estate.

"Is that the alarm? What happened?" Piper wondered aloud as they made their way through the kitchen and into the foyer. Father Trask, disguised as one of the truck delivery guys walked casually by Piper and Phoebe and turned up the stairs. "Hey, that's the priest," Piper pointed out to Phoebe, having told her about the strange run-in with him.

Phoebe glanced over, but another scene caught their attention. Kirsten was forcefully pulling Allison down the stairs by her arm trying to kick her out of the estate. Piper and Phoebe stared open-mouthed at the surprising behavior. As they watched, Elliot ran out onto the balcony from his room trying to get to Allison. Allison fought Kirsten enough to look back up at him. "Don't forget, Elliot. Remember what I said. It's not too late," she called up to him as Kirsten continued to force her toward the door.

"Don't hurt Allison," Elliot pleaded desperately to Kirsten before Jade grabbed him by the arm and roughly pulled him back into his room.

"Get in here!" Jade snapped in anger.

Walking up the stairs Piper and Phoebe caught sight of Father Trask gripping the poignard and heading for where Jade and Elliot had disappeared. Realizing that Father Trask was going to hurt someone, the two sisters bolted into the kitchen looking for a security guard.

~PO4~

Back in Elliot's room, Jade stood staring out the window awaiting the arrival of Father Trask. She was in the same position, her back to the door, when Father Trask entered, pointing the poignard at Jade. She slowly turned to face him as he advanced.

"Father Trask," she greeted him, not in the least surprised that he'd made it all the way to her.

"I banish thee back to the underworld, Hecate," Father Trask replied, continuing to approach.

"Not today, Trask…" Jade disagreed calmly as Kirsten suddenly appeared behind him. Kirsten turned into a demon before grabbing Father Trask's head and snapping his neck. In his surprise he offered no resistance. "Now get rid of him," Jade ordered, smiling in triumph.

~PO4~

Piper and Phoebe finally tracked down a security guard who turned around in curiosity after hearing the hasty approach.

"He's after the bride, upstairs," Piper gasped while Phoebe pointed back towards the foyer where Father Trask had disappeared. Before the security guard could do anything there was a loud crash that echoed through the building and all three of them ran outside to see what was going on. Phoebe led the way, coming abruptly to a halt when she saw the body of Father Trask lying on the driveway surrounded by many security guards who had already arrived. The window on the second floor where Elliot's room was was shattered. Piper grabbed onto Phoebe's arm in stunned silence.

Outside the Spencer Estate

Piper and Phoebe were still standing on the edge of the driveway watching the police go about their work of investigating the priest's death. Beside them stood Allison who was crying. She was hoping that the investigation of the priest's death could help her understand what was suddenly going on in the Spencer Estate, but she was quickly losing that hope.

"Here you go," Piper offered Allison a tissue in an effort to help the obviously distressed young woman.

"Thanks," Allison whispered, gratefully taking the tissue from Piper.

"No worries. This is all kinda freaky, huh?" Piper stated, trying to indirectly find a way to help Allison if it was at all possible.

"You have no idea," Allison agreed softly.

"What my sister meant to say was, what is up with you and Elliot?" Phoebe tried a more direct approach, not having enough patience to carry out the slow approach.

"Phoebe…" Piper warned, casting her sister a warning glare that Phoebe ignored.

"You love him, don't you?" Phoebe prompted just as quickly.

"With all my heart," Allison replied, dabbing at her eyes.

"Well, if that's true, then why…" Phoebe began to ask, but Allison interrupted her.

"I've gotta go," Allison responded hastily turning around and leaving. She was unable to put up with that kind of questioning at the moment.

"This is so sad. We have to do something," Piper whispered, glancing at Phoebe pleadingly as if waiting for permission.

"Yeah, but what?" Phoebe asked, sighing at her failure of finding out anything useful.

"I don't know… We're good witches. It's our job, right?" Piper continued, her eyes flickering over to the dead priest, whom she wasn't so certain was quite as crazy as she may have thought. His death certainly wasn't the only thing that was sudden.

Phoebe looked away from the investigation and back toward Piper. "I wouldn't be worrying about Allison's problem just yet," Phoebe disagreed, patting Piper on the stomach pointedly thinking about the baby.

Piper's eyes filled with confusion as Phoebe left to head back into the kitchen. "What the…"

~PO4~

Over by the body of the dead priest Andy and Darryl were interrogating Jade about the events prior to his death. Behind them the body was being taken away in a body bag for an autopsy.

"How many times do I have to go through this?" Jade asked in exasperation at the police officers' continuous questions concerning the incident.

"Until I'm sure I understand. Did you say Trask chased you to the window?" Andy questioned, apparently again.

"Yes, with that big knife. He was saying the most horrific things, crazy things. He lunged at me. I screamed, I ducked and the next I knew, he- he was dead. It was awful," Jade explained dramatically while Andy and Darryl exchanged a glance. She glanced over toward where the body was being moved and before any more questions could be asked she spoke. "Can I go now? I have like a million things to do before my wedding tomorrow." Her voice was suddenly much more excited with no hint of remorse for the dead priest.

"Sure," Darryl allowed simply and Jade took off.

"Sorry the dead man on your driveway is such an inconvenience," Andy muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"Welcome to the lifestyles of the rich and shameless," Darryl commented, looking up at the shattered window.

Andy followed his gaze, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. "Look at that window, Morris. Look where Trask landed. Tell me how anyone could jump that far," Andy dared, knowing full well it was impossible.

Darryl got the point. "That's why we get paid the medium bucks. To figure it out," Darryl joked, heading towards the Estate to question more people.

~PO4~

Inside, Mrs. Spencer and Kirsten were standing on the second floor balcony outside Elliot's room.

"Kirsten! Killing a priest was not part of our deal," Mrs. Spencer snapped in anger. The questions this would raise would do more harm than anything.

"Word of advice. You keep your eyes closed and your mouth shut. In twenty-four hours Jade will be pregnant and all of this will be over," Kirsten warned, turning on her heel to leave.

Grace's eyes narrowed in anger and she grabbed Kirsten by the arm, pulling her back around to face her. "If anything happens to my son, Elliot," she threatened, leaving the result open-ended.

"You should have thought about that before you agreed to our arrangement. And let me remind you of one more thing, Mrs. Spencer, we're still on the second floor," Kirsten retorted pointedly glancing down at the long drop below them. Mrs. Spencer remained silent as Kirsten walked off in the other direction.

Bucklands Auction House

Prue sat at her desk typing on the computer waiting for Rex to stop by. There was a short knock on her door that gathered her attention and announced her boss's entrance.

"You wanted to see me, Prue?" Rex asked, walking up to her desk.

Prue nodded and got to her feet, making her way to the male fertility icon that sat on a nearby table. "Yeah, I wanted to know what you wanted me to do with the fertility icon," Prue explained, pointing to the artifact and looking back behind her to Rex.

He looked from her to the fertility icon and back again looking confused. "Uh, sorry?" he asked, not understanding what she meant.

"Well, it's the companion piece to the female icon. The one you didn't want catalogued before," Prue reminded him pointedly while crossing her arms for an answer.

"Oh, right, yeah. Um, yeah, by all means, go ahead and tag this one for the auction. That particular client only wanted the female icon," Rex replied, recognizing an opportunity to find out if Prue would attend the wedding.

"Okay," Prue obeyed, sitting down at her desk and pulling some paperwork toward her.

Rex waited a moment before artfully prodding the desired information from Prue. "It's a wedding gift actually. Quite an exquisite one at that, for the Spencer bride," he revealed slowly, taking several steps toward her.

Prue glanced up in surprise. "Spencer? Really? My sister's catering that wedding," Prue answered politely to the small talk.

"Is she? Small world. Is that the sister I met? Um, Phoebe?" Rex wondered, feigning ignorance and curiosity.

"No, I have two other sisters. Piper and Paige. Piper's catering the wedding although Phoebe will be helping her out," Prue explained, trying to keep the explanation simple. People had a tendency to get confused with all the 'P' names.

"I see. And what about you then?" Rex asked with a faint smile, listening for her answer intently.

"Me?" Prue repeated in slight surprise. Obviously if she worked here she didn't work on weddings. "I don't do weddings," she responded after a pause.

Rex gave a slight nod of satisfaction, but hid it as understanding. "I was just wondering how close you and your sisters were. Anyway, carry on," Rex explained, leaving Prue's office and heading into his own where Hannah was waiting for him.

"Well?" Hannah demanded an answer as soon as Rex had closed the door behind him. She turned away from the statue she was inspecting to look back at him.

"Fortunately, you are right. Prue won't be in attendance," Rex agreed, walking up to Hannah.

"Hmmm. Does that mean we can still go?" Hannah asked hopefully.

"No, no, I'm afraid not. It's too risky," he answered and then smiled slightly when Hannah began to look mad. "Oh, don't pout, Hannah. I'm sure we can think of something to do. Perhaps we can go to a football match and watch some players get injured," Rex suggested with a grin. Hannah reluctantly smiled at the idea as Rex's hand reached up and caressed her cheek.

~PO4~

Prue was kneeling on the floor with her back to door, holding the male fertility icon in her hands. Andy had called earlier wanting her to check something he found at a crime scene. As she waited she decided she might as well be productive and start on cataloguing the fertility icon. She pulled the sticker tag of the icon's penis just as Andy silently walked in the door behind her. He narrowed his eyes slightly and couldn't resist teasing her. It wasn't often someone could fluster Prue.

"I'll come back when you're alone," Andy announced his presence a hint of a laugh in his voice.

Prue jumped slightly and looked around appearing embarrassed. She hastily dropped the icon in the box beside her as she turned. "Uh, no, it's, it's okay. I'm finished. Somebody just put a sticky inventory tag on his uh… on the, uh," Prue trailed off, flustered. She quickly looked away from Andy and back at the icon so as not to look at him and his silently laughing eyes.

"Artifact?" Andy suggested helpfully and Prue smiled gratefully at the out he offered her.

"Yes, yes, the artifact. I should know that word, shouldn't I?" she agreed, turning away again and sitting down behind her desk. Andy followed her in and shut the door behind him before approaching a few steps. 

"Where is your, uh…" Prue began to ask, but then realized half-way through what it sounded like. She once again grew embarrassed, a faint flush crossing her face. Damn. She thought feeling the flush and making it even harder to think clearly.

Andy silently chuckled at her. "Artifact?" he repeated and Prue gave a slight nod and looked hurriedly down at her desk before she embarrassed herself even more. "Right here," Andy replied, holding up a large yellow envelope and closing what little distance was left between them.

"May I?" Prue asked hopefully.

"It's all yours. It's the knife I called you about," Andy allowed, handing the envelope to her and sitting down in the chair across from her. Prue opened it and pulled out the poignard that Father Trask had tried to use against Jade. "Thanks for seeing me on such short notice," he added gratefully, relaxing back into the chair.

Prue's eyes flickered up from the knife to glance up at him. "Anytime. I'm happy you called," she admitted, flashing a smile before turning her attention back to the poignard. "This poignard is exquisite. 14th century, Italian," Prue remarked before turning the blade so that she could read the words engraved on it. "Nec prius absistit quoad protero  
prodigium," she read slowly.

Andy recognized the words as Latin and tried to remember enough to translate. "My Latin's a little rusty. Uh, he shall not," Andy began uncertainly, but Prue cut him off.

"I shall not," she corrected and then translated the rest for him. "I shall not rest until the demon is vanquished." A short silence fell between them as Prue thought that over suddenly more interested in the blade than she had originally been. "Let me see what else I can find," Prue mumbled, turning her computer toward her and searching for the blade. She quickly found it on a website titled 'The Jeweled Poignard of the Order of the Stephanine Cross.' She glanced over at Andy in surprise. "You found this at a crime scene?"

"It was on the victim," Andy explained carefully.

"What was on the suspect? Chain mail and a coat of armor?" Prue asked sarcastically to cover her uneasiness.

"It belonged to a priest. He was at the Grace Spencer Estate," Andy continued, causing Prue to stiffen and to connect the dots. She'd heard from Piper about an attack on the priest then Andy just happens to show up with the knife the priest had, backing Piper's story of something strange going on. Could it just be coincidence that the knife ended up in her hands?

"The Spencer Estate?" Andy nodded in response, his eyes narrowing curiously at her sudden interest. "Piper's catering a wedding there tomorrow," Prue repeated what she had said earlier to Rex, a hint of worry in her voice now that she realized her sisters could actually be in danger.

Andy interpreted her worry as them being hurt in the attack on the priest and he jumped to console her. "I know, I saw her and Phoebe. Don't worry, they're fine," Andy reassured her and Prue forced the worry from her eyes and looked back at her computer where a picture of Hecate had appeared on the screen. She bit her lip slightly, remembering what Phoebe had told her about Piper earlier.

"This can't be a coincidence." Prue whispered, forgetting Andy was still in the room.

"What?" Andy asked immediately, leaning forward to look at the computer, but Prue hastily moved it out of his sight.

"Um, nothing. I'm just mumbling to myself. Do you mind if I keep this for awhile? I would like to show it to Russell in armaments," Prue lied, hurriedly grabbing at her bags and pulling her stuff together. She had to get home and figure out what was going on, especially if Piper was who Phoebe thought she was. She had to find a way to fix this.

Andy's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but he quickly fixed it so he looked casual instead. His eyes, however, followed Prue intently. "Sure. I checked it out so you could research it," he answered calmly.

"Great. I'll call you," Prue promised, nearly running out the door in her haste to get home.

Andy stayed seated for a moment listening to see if she was coming back. "Okay," he mouthed to himself and then glanced curiously over to Prue's laptop that she had forgotten to turn off. Andy got up from his seat and walked behind her desk, looking over the picture of Hecate and the back-story on the demon. His eyes narrowed the more he read, trying to figure out what Prue could have possibly meant by 'this can't be a coincidence.' He recognized there was more to the story than Prue would admit to him. But what could she have to do with it?  
she have to do with it?


	12. Wedding from Hell Part 2

Wedding from Hell Part 2

South Bay Social Services

Prue pulled to a stop in the parking lot of South Bay Social Services about twenty minutes after she had left work. She turned the ignition off and ripped her keys out a little more forcefully then needed before hurrying in to find Paige. She ran a hand through her hair as she traversed through the corridors, keeping her eyes open for any sign of her baby sister. The job itself didn't appear too appealing to Prue as she watched people dashing back and forth in the tight hallways, nearly knocking other people or objects over. Then there were the desks, lined up in a row the whole length of the building, no privacy, nothing like Prue's office at Bucklands. No wonder Paige had trouble getting anything done. The place was so loud with all the printers, people, copying machines, more people, phones ringing and, of course, the intrusions of her sisters. Prue's blue eyes finally focused on one of the cubicles near the end that read 'Paige Matthews.'

"Paige?" Prue called loudly over the people as she approached the desk. Paige glanced up, hearing her name, but in the confusion of voices apparently didn't recognize Prue's voice. Her eyes flashed in surprise upon seeing her eldest sister nearly running toward her.

"Prue, what's up?" Paige asked once Prue stood right behind her excuse of a desk. She was only half-listening to her sister's response as she turned the other half onto her computer and work she was supposed to be doing. Paige tilted her head curiously as Prue glanced uncertainly around at the mob of people within the vicinity.

"I need to talk to you," Prue replied cryptically, pointedly glancing at the people around them.

Paige sighed at her sister's paranoia. "Nobody is going to be able to hear you in here," Paige retorted shortly, refusing to leave her desk. Prue crossed her arms in impatience but grabbed the chair on the other side of Paige's desk and rolled it around beside Paige. Paige rolled her eyes good-naturedly and moved her chair over to make room for Prue behind her desk as well. "Alright, what's happened now?" the youngest Halliwell sister prompted as soon as Prue was situated in the tight space.

"Has Phoebe talked to you about Piper today?" Prue questioned, needing to know how much Paige already knew about anything.

"Nope, haven't talked to anyone since this morning," Paige answered, finally turning away from her computer upon hearing the worry and uncertainty in Prue's voice.

Prue hesitated unsure about how much to tell Paige, but eventually decided just to tell her everything. "Okay, long story shortened. Piper took a pregnancy test this morning which said negative, but Phoebe had a premonition supposedly of Piper giving birth to a demon child," Prue began slowly while Paige's eyes widened at the news. "At the Spencer Estate where Piper and Phoebe have been there was a priest who carried this knife. Andy was assigned to investigate the priest's death and brought it to me to check it out." Prue held up the poignard that Andy had given her. "It belongs to a secret order pledged to stop Hecate who is a demon that comes to Earth to get pregnant and have a demon child."

"Wait! Did you say the priest was killed?" Paige interrupted, trying to put all the information in place. Prue gave a slight nod and there was a short moment of silence while Paige thought it over. "Who killed him?" she finally asked.

"My guess would be someone who felt threatened by him. Seeing as he was a priest I can only assume that Hecate would have killed him. From what Piper said, he yelled at her one time, but right before he was killed he was approaching the Spencer bride with this knife," Prue mused aloud

"So you want to know whether I think Piper is Hecate or not? Am I right?" Paige wondered logically. Prue guiltily nodded in response. "Alright, what evidence points to the Spencer bride?" the younger Halliwell prompted.

"All in all, it just makes more sense with all the weird situations that have suddenly been happening, the priest was killed after trying to attack her, Piper didn't kill the priest and my guess is the bride, Piper claims she's negative. It's just Phoebe's vision and Piper's presence at the Spencer Estate is just way too coincidental for me," Prue explained, biting  
her lip slightly.

"Well, maybe Piper's presence isn't coincidental. I mean, you wouldn't have been half as interested in that blade if Piper hadn't been at the Spencer Estate, right? Therefore, you wouldn't have looked into it as much and we may have missed this threat. But just because Piper is there doesn't mean she's Hecate and you know how Phoebe is, sometimes she assumes things. Did you ask her exactly what she saw?" Paige reasoned carefully.

"No, she left before I could say anything," Prue replied, beginning to look more relieved at the new light on the situation.

"Okay, since that's the only thing that points Hecate at Piper instead of at the Spencer bride, I think we should go talk to Phoebe," Paige suggested, gathering her bags with Prue following suit. "Let's hurry before Mr. Cowan sees me," she added with a mischievous grin at her sister and a glance down the corridors for her boss.

"Thanks for helping," Prue appreciated, picking up some of her sister's bags for a quicker exit.

"You already knew the answer, you just needed it put into perspective. Just don't expect me to leave work with you every time," Paige joked before the two Halliwells hurried out to Prue's car.

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe sat on the edge of the table with the Book of Shadows opened to the page on Hecate. She glanced up when Piper walked in carrying a large box in her arms that had arrived for the wedding tomorrow.

"I knew I wasn't crazy. Look at these matches, look at these napkins. They all say 'Allison and Elliot' not 'Jade and Elliot,'" Piper insisted, dropping the box on the table beside Phoebe and pulling out a napkin that she thrust in Phoebe's face.

"That explains a lot," Phoebe commented, turning the book away from Piper's line of sight.

Piper reached into the box and pulled out several papers stapled together. "And look at this. It's Chef Moore's contract for the wedding. Up top it says, 'The Wedding of Allison Michaels and Elliot Spencer.' Allison is supposed to marry Elliot tomorrow, not Jade," Piper continued, letting Phoebe read the contract before tossing it back into the box.

"That's probably why she was crying," Phoebe pointed out. "I wonder what happened," she added sympathetically.

"Me too. Can you imagine watching the man you love marry somebody else?" Piper agreed with a slight shake of her head.

"No. Poor Allison," Phoebe whispered to herself.

"Now we have to help her. We're the only ones that know about this. We're the only ones who can," Piper pleaded to Phoebe.

Phoebe watched her older sister silently for a moment before finally letting out what she had been hiding all day. "Okay, I can't hold this in any longer. Your name isn't Piper and that's the good news. You're really Hecate, Queen of the Underworld. You're pregnant with the demon child, which means, I'm afraid I have to kill you," Phoebe burst out, casually leaning against the table while Piper's jaw dropped in confusion.

"What?" Piper demanded, trying to figure out what Phoebe was talking about.

"Not to worry. You have plenty of time. I still have to find the jeweled poignard to kill you with. See?" Phoebe reassured her sister, turning the book so that Piper could see the picture of the poignard.

"Are you talking about this?" Prue questioned, holding up the knife she had gotten from Andy. Paige stood behind her with a faint smile at Piper and Phoebe's facial expressions.

Piper appeared dumbfounded in confusion while Phoebe looked awestruck at the poignard's appearance.

"The odds, Piper. What are the odds?" Phoebe pointed out. She closed the book and placed it on the table but her eyes never left the knife in Prue's hand.

Piper looked from Prue and Paige to Phoebe and back again. "I'm not pregnant, trust me," Piper spoke up sounding irritated at being the subject of the gossip.

"Have you gone to the doctor?" Paige asked hopefully. The doctors would definitely be able to do a real test and if that was negative then Piper couldn't be Hecate.

"No need. Must I explain how the body works?" Piper snapped pointedly and Paige fell silent.

"Well, that's good news," Prue announced, appearing relieved.

Phoebe jumped down from the table and pulled Piper into a tight hug. "Are you kidding? That's great news! You can live!" Phoebe exclaimed before pulling back in confusion.

"Wait… my vision."

"Phoebe, what is it you saw exactly?" Prue questioned, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Well, I- I saw the thing being born," Phoebe replied awkwardly.

"Did you see Piper?" Paige prompted for the more desired information.

"Yes, I saw her legs," Phoebe answered, starting to see where they were going with the interrogation.

"Never saw her face?" Prue demanded for clarification.

Phoebe frowned realizing they were probably right. "No," she muttered shortly. Prue raised her eyebrows in understanding, appearing satisfied with the results.

"See!" Paige announced cheerfully, glancing over at Prue just as satisfied. Phoebe shot her a glare, but before she could say anything Piper spoke up.

"Hello, bickering sisters. I am not pregnant, but I am still in the room," Piper snapped before spinning on Phoebe. "Phoebe, how did you know I took a pregnancy test?" she wondered, flashing an accusatory glare at Prue.

"Hey, don't look at me. I didn't tell her," Prue countered in innocence. Piper looked away back at Phoebe for an answer.

"I, uh, found the box in the bathroom," Phoebe replied softly, expecting an angry response from her sister.

Piper stared, silent for a moment. "You're supposed to take out the trash, not dig through it," Piper pointed out with a roll of her eyes.

"Piper, it's not like that," Phoebe tried to explain, but Piper ignored her.

"We're making those bathroom schedules now and Paige is going to take the trash out instead," Piper ordered with a glance toward Prue and Paige.

"Awww… Piper! I already have to do the laundry," Paige protested with a glare at Phoebe that clearly blamed her.

"Phoebe can do the laundry now," Piper countered, crossing her arms defiantly.

"Sisters? We have bigger problems to deal with. Cliff notes version. The priest who was killed today, he belonged to a secret order pledged to stop Hecate," Prue explained after grabbing her sisters' attention.

Piper nodded in understanding. "Beware Hecate. That's what Father Trask said, and then he tried to kill Jade," Piper agreed with Prue's explanation.

"We think she's Hecate," Paige added for Piper and Phoebe's benefit.

"Hecate comes to Earth every two hundred years. She has to find an innocent, put him under her spell, and marry him in a sanctified wedding," Prue continued.

"That doesn't sound any different than most of the single women in this city," Phoebe pointed out mildly.

Prue smiled slightly before continuing. "Well, she needs Elliot to impregnate her. That way her child could look normal on the outside but internally and mentally, her child would be pure demon."

"This is huge. A child born in the wealth and power of the Spencer family?" Piper responded nervously.

"And I don't think its coincidence that you're catering the wedding. I think it's one of those things we can kind of look forward to as protectors of the innocent," Prue stated.

"Hmmm…" Phoebe mumbled, pondering the idea and seeming to agree.

"Okay, well, before we ruin the wedding and my career, let's make sure we're right about Jade," Piper ordered, not wholly convinced on the matter.

"Are we going to crash the bachelorette party?" Paige wondered eagerly, receiving a laugh from Phoebe, a smile from Prue, and a disapproving look from Piper.

The Spencer Estate

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige sneaked through the few security guards, thanks to Piper's freezing, with no problem until they came to a window that allowed them view of the night's bachelorette party. The four sisters crowded around the window, careful to not draw attention to themselves. Jade and the other women in the room had their back to the window as Jade opened her presents. Out of one she pulled a piece of lingerie clothing.

"This should make his assets rise," she announced, grinning as she folded it up while her friends giggled around her.

"Looks like a normal bachelorette party to me," Prue commented, seeing nothing unusual with the women in the room.

"I don't know, I think that lingerie looks like something someone on the other side would wear," Paige replied, tilting her head slightly to the side in a studying manner.

"You're just saying that to condemn her," Phoebe argued lightly, gently punching her sister on the arm. Paige looked as if she was about to counter attack when Piper spoke up, cutting her off.

"I don't believe it. They've barely touched my food," Piper muttered indignantly.

"Piper…" Prue berated with a roll of her eyes.

"Those deli trays took hours!" Piper retorted, casting a glare at Prue, who had to work to keep her face straight.

"And you know who this is from. They understand how important it is for you to get pregnant right away," Kirsten stated, picking up a badly wrapped package containing the female fertility goddess from Bucklands. She handed it Jade who eagerly tore it open.

"Hey, I know that piece. It's from the Auction House," Prue whispered, recognizing it immediately. Piper narrowed her eyes in thought, while Phoebe and Paige glanced over at Prue. There was a knock on the door of the room which gained the four sisters' attention again.

"Come in," Jade called, her smile growing as a pizza man stepped into the room.

"Hi. Pizza delivery," the pizza man announced, sitting the pizza box down on the table.

Piper's jaw dropped in disbelief. "They ordered pizza?" she asked to no-one in particular. Piper crossed her arms, inwardly fuming. The pizza man pulled a radio out of the pizza bag and turned it on while the women watched expectantly. He began to dance to the music and Piper bit her lip in understanding. "Oh, well, now I feel better," she whispered, rolling her eyes at their entertainment. As the 'pizza man' danced he began to take off his clothes. The Halliwell sisters' jaws dropped in surprise. Prue rolled her eyes, but there  
was a faint smile on her face, Piper began giggling uncontrollably, Phoebe grinned, and Paige suddenly became more interested in the party.

"Mmm… He looks good enough to eat," Kirsten stated, her eyes not leaving the stripper.

"Good idea," Jade commented, getting off the bed and kneeling down in front of the stripper. The bridesmaids eagerly followed her lead. The stripper continued to dance as they surrounded him while the sisters outside began laughing.

The bridesmaids began to reach for the stripper but Jade stopped them. "Girls, I'm the bride," she reminded them before digging into the stripper with her fingernails. He screamed in agony as she drove her hands down, leaving a bloody trail along his body. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige immediately quit laughing. Prue made a move to try and help the man, but Piper and Phoebe grabbed her, holding her still. Paige flinched and looked away, leaning against Piper as the stripper was suddenly silent.

The Halliwell Manor

"Somehow we have to stop them," Prue stated suddenly from where she sat in the Solarium. Paige sat next to her, curled up in her chair with her head on her knees while Piper was sprawled across the couch with her eyes closed.

Phoebe spoke up as she made her way from the kitchen to join her sisters. "So, there's only one problem with our plan. We're assuming Allison is gonna be a willing accomplice," she pointed out, sitting down at the small table where the Book of Shadows lay. She took a quick sip of her coffee before sitting it down on the table.

"She still loves Elliot. You heard what she said," Piper replied, opening her eyes for a moment to look up at Phoebe.

"And the Book of Shadows says that the spell can be broken by a declaration of love sealed with a kiss," Paige added, pointing to the book beside Phoebe.

"It's so romantic, just like a fairy tale. And once Elliot is out of her spell, Jade's out of luck, no wedding, no honeymoon night…." Piper began before Prue took over her train of thought.

"No honeymoon, no sex and no sex, no monster child spending alternate weekends with daddy," Prue finished with approval of the outcome. Piper pushed herself up from the couch and leaned forward for instructions.

"I still say we rely on our Power of Four thing and ix-nay the monster bride and her carnivorous bridesmaids," Phoebe disagreed lightly.

"Phoebe, we're supposed to help people, not harm them," Piper argued with a roll of her eyes.

"Well, Phoebe has a point. We've just been focusing on Allison and Elliot which I'm all for, but are we just going to let Hecate leave or are we going to stop them permanently?"

Paige wondered, her eyes flickering from sister to sister, stopping on Prue.

"Once we save Allison and Elliot from her then we can focus on how to keep it from happening again, okay?" Prue suggested receiving nods from all three sisters. "Great, so you three can get Elliot, I'll get Allison and we'll meet at the front gate no later than 2:30. Everybody have their weapons?" Prue asked. Piper got up from the couch and grabbed her cell phone off the table in front of Phoebe.

"Phone," Paige called and her cell orbed to her hand. Phoebe reached out and grabbed the poignard that was sitting just beside her cell phone. She grinned as Prue shook her head at her little sister's antics.

"I'll take that," Prue decided with a slight smile, taking the knife from her little sister and passing her a cell. "Okay, so it's time to shower, shampoo, and go kick some Hecate butt," she announced, picking up her own cell as she passed and then heading towards the bathroom.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all narrowed their eyes at their sister's statement. "Wait…" Paige began slowly.

"Did she just say shower?" Phoebe asked casually.

"She did, didn't she?" Piper agreed, her eyebrows rising in thought.

Phoebe and Piper exchanged a glance before dashing off up the stairs. "Hot Water!" they both yelled at the same time, leaving Paige alone in the Solarium. The youngest Halliwell sister smirked to herself before orbing out.

"Damn it, Paige!" Phoebe shouted just moments later followed by banging on the bathroom door.

"That's cheating!" Piper added, crossing her arms outside the door of the upstairs bathroom.

 

Father Trask's Church

Andy and Darryl moved through the room that Father Trask had inhabited at his church, searching for anything that would help them with their investigation on his death. Andy was flipping through, reading some papers, while Darryl was on the phone with the medical examiner.

"Yeah, okay, thanks," Darryl replied to the medical examiner on the other end of the phone. Shortly after, he hung up his cell and slipped it into his pocket.

Andy glanced up as Darryl closed his phone. "M.E. report?" he guessed, prompting for what had been found out.

"Mmm hmm… It is now officially a homicide. The priest's neck was broken before he went out the window," Darryl explained with a glance at his partner.

"Told you," Andy replied without looking up. He continued to scan over the documents in his hands.

Darryl rolled his eyes at the 'I-told-you-so' response. "So what? Are you saying that a little one hundred and twenty pound busting bride tossed him out the window? I don't think so," Darryl remarked sarcastically.

Andy dropped the papers and approached Darryl. "The security tapes from the estate will show who did it," Andy suggested pointedly.

Darryl thought the idea over and gave a slight nod in agreement. "Yeah, that's a good idea," he agreed, pulling out a little notepad from his jacket to request a warrant for the tapes.

Andy smirked and grabbed his wrist which effectively stopped him from writing on it. "Already had them sent to the station," he explained, turning to leave the room for the church.

"You did, did ya?" Darryl asked lightly with a shake of his head. His partner had a way of always being one step ahead of him. He took one last look around the room before following Andy out.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Prue made her way through the foyer as she heard the bell ring announcing the arrival of Allison. She pulled open the door to find Allison waiting on the threshold.

"Allison Michaels?" Prue guessed, recognizing her from Piper's description, but knowing Allison wouldn't know who she was, played ignorant.

"Yes. Prue Halliwell?" Allison reasoned uncertainly.

Prue nodded and opened the door wider so Allison could come in. "Thanks for coming. Come in," Prue invited, fingering the napkin in her hand that would start the conversation.

Allison hesitantly walked in and stopped just inside the door. "You said it was important," Allison remarked, going silent as Prue handed the napkin to her. On it were the words 'Allison and Elliot.' One of the napkins Piper had received the night before. "Where did you get this?" she breathed, her eyes filling with tears at what had once been.

"This won't take long, I promise," Prue replied sympathetically, turning to lead Allison into the Conservatory.

 

The Spencer Estate

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige traversed through the people rushing to get everything set up for the wedding. As they slowly made their way toward the front door Piper caught sight of a guy carrying a box of food that was needed for the main course.

"Oh! I'll need that in the kitchen right away," Piper ordered, rushing toward him and turning him around toward the front door.

"Yes, ma'am," he responded, following the direction of Piper's pointing finger.

As Piper turned back to Phoebe and Paige she caught sight of a woman carrying a tray of food past them. "No, no, no, no, no. Not in the sun. Get an umbrella," Piper snapped before Paige grabbed hold of her hand and spun Piper around to look at her.

"Okay, you need to calm down and focus," Paige reminded her while putting her arm around Piper's shoulder and leading her back toward their destination.

"Mmm hmmm… Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't we supposed to be stopping the wedding?" Phoebe added, half-teasingly to her stressed older sister.

Piper gave a slight nod in agreement. "You're right. I just can't help myself," she answered, sending a quick glare around at the other cooks, who apparently had no idea what they were doing. She sighed at the ineptness of the workers she had to work with.

"That's why we're here. To keep you in line," Paige laughed as Phoebe grabbed hold of Piper's other hand and began to pull her and Paige along quicker.

"Forget the food, Piper. Let's go," Phoebe hurried her sisters along.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Prue led Allison to the Conservatory, offering her a cup of coffee, before the two sat down at one of the tables.

"And everything was fine, right on schedule, until about, uh, six days ago. That's when Jade appeared out of nowhere and started working at the Spencer family business. And before I could say 'I do', I was out and she was in. End of story," Allison explained softly before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Did you talk to Elliot?" Prue asked, trying to fix Allison's events in with the information they knew about Hecate.

"They wouldn't even let me see him," Allison snapped in frustration.

Prue smiled as she recognized their harsh tactics to keep from exposure. She glanced sympathetically back at Allison. "Not a big surprise," she whispered. Allison looked away with a shake of her head. "It wouldn't make any difference anyway. The Elliot I know, the Elliot I love, isn't here anymore," Allison continued harshly letting out her feelings of betrayal.

Prue bit her lip slightly realizing this declaration was heading in the wrong direction. "What if I told you Elliot isn't himself because this woman has put him under a spell, so to speak?" Prue questioned careful with her wording. Allison shook her head in disbelief. "Allison, Elliot loves you, not Jade," Prue pressed as Allison continued to disagree.

"If that were true, I would be the one walking down the aisle today," Allison argued.

"You still can be. All you have to do is crash your wedding," Prue explained simply.

Allison's eyes widened in surprise, not seeing how that was going to help. "What?" she demanded.

Prue closed her eyes expecting Allison's reaction to the suggestion. "Look, it's not that crazy. The man that you love is marrying somebody else. Don't you want to do everything within your power to stop him?" Prue challenged carefully.

"This isn't a fairytale. Real life doesn't work that way," Allison argued. She wanted so badly to be with Elliot, for this woman's plan to work, but she didn't see what she would gain except a night in jail once security was called.

"But what if you can get him back? Do you really wanna spend the rest of your life just wondering? In your heart of hearts, you must still love him," Prue continued.

"I do. God, I really do," Allison replied, her eyes filled with tears.

"Then let me help you," Prue insisted softly.

"But you don't even know me. Why would you want to help me?" Allison wondered, tilting her head to the side in curiosity more than suspicion.

Prue sighed and looked away for a moment trying to gather an answer without giving her and her sisters away. "Have you ever seen that television show where there's the woman who's an angel and she helps strangers every week?" Prue asked slowly, looking back over at Allison.

Allison smiled. It was the first real smile Prue had seen. "I love that show," Allison announced, leaning closer to Prue hopefully.

"Don't get too excited, I'm nothing like that, but, uh, my sisters and I, we have special gifts," Prue treaded cryptically as Allison immediately became more interested.

"Gifts? What kind of gifts?" she wondered seeming awestruck by the revelation.

"Ones you can't return. Let's just say we come from a very interesting family tree. Look, if you can, if you'll trust me, we can bring you and Elliot together," Prue finished, watching Allison closely. Allison was silent for a moment before nodding, her eyes filled with renewed hope.

The Spencer Estate

"Here we are. Finally. Your big day," Mrs. Spencer whispered to her son, who stood before her in his suit. There was no reaction from him as he remained in a stupor. "Forgive me, son," she breathed, gently touching his face, her voice full of regret.

~PO4~

In the hallway outside of Elliot's room Piper, Phoebe, and Paige casually strolled toward Elliot's room. They pulled to a stop upon seeing Kirsten come out the door and stop just outside as if she was guarding it.

"Stripper eating bridesmaid ahead," Piper warned her sisters.

"Keep walking," Phoebe replied, grabbing Piper's hand, who grabbed Paige's hand so they were both pulled along after Phoebe.

Paige blinked, narrowing her eyes at Kirsten. "What if we just… you know, knock them out or something. Maybe I could drop the piano on her head," Paige suggested hopefully.

"No, Paige," Piper disagreed, casting her and Phoebe a warning glance as Phoebe appeared to be pondering the idea.

"Oh, come on. Nobody has to know," Paige pointed out, but fell silent after Piper still shook her head and they came within listening distance of Kirsten.

The sisters stopped just in front of Kirsten who blocked their way through the door. "We need to talk to Mr. Spencer," Phoebe explained professionally while Piper and Paige nodded in agreement.

"No one sees the groom before the ceremony," Kirsten snapped harshly, not moving from where she stood.

"Actually, that would be the bride. This'll only take a minute," Piper assured Kirsten. She stepped forward to push around the bridesmaid that blocked her.

Kirsten glared and pushed Piper back into Paige, who steadied her. "What part of 'no' did you not understand?" Kirsten demanded, her eyes flashing.

The three Halliwell sisters shot daggers with their eyes at Kirsten, but when Piper spoke she was perfectly calm. "The non-original part?" Piper suggested, flashing an innocent smile.

Kirsten raised her eyebrows in response and was about to snap a retort back when Mrs. Spencer appeared from Elliot's room. Her eyes flickered from the Halliwell sisters to Kirsten and then back again. Piper and Phoebe smiled politely while Paige waved and Kirsten spun around to see who was behind her.

"Is there a problem?" Mrs. Spencer wondered, her eyes focusing on Piper, Phoebe, and Paige.

"Ugh, don't even get me started," Phoebe sighed dramatically with a roll of her eyes.

"This place is problem galore," Paige added, just as loud and dramatic as Phoebe.

"Could we talk to you for a sec? It'll… you know in private?" Piper questioned with a glance at her sisters who both nodded.

"Certainly," Grace agreed, though her eyes were narrowed slightly in suspicion. She walked past Kirsten and down the hall with the Halliwell sisters following. When she was out of sight of Kirsten she turned to face the three sisters. "Is everything alright?" she asked, sounding a little worried.

"It's about your son," Piper explained softly, sounding sympathetic and concerned now that they were away from Kirsten.

"What's wrong?" Grace demanded warily.

"We found this…" Paige replied, handing Grace one of the napkins that said 'Allison and Elliot' on it. She took it and fell silent as she internally debated what to say.

"He's not supposed to marry Jade," Piper added, looking down at the napkin as well.

"I know," Grace whispered, clenching the napkin in her hand in frustration. "I know more than you could possibly imagine."

"We can help him," Paige offered quickly.

"No one can help us. It's too late," Grace argued shortly.

"No, we have a plan. We can stop the wedding," Phoebe insisted in a whisper. Grace stared from one hopeful sister to another as she inwardly debated what to do. Piper glanced worriedly back to where Kirsten stood realizing something would have to be said soon to avoid suspicion.

Grace followed her eyes and finally sighed realizing the same. "Go to the wine cellar. Meet me there. I'll join you in ten minutes," she decided as Kirsten glanced over suspiciously at the group. Grace pointedly raised her voice so Kirsten could hear her next statement. "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do for you."

The Halliwell sisters frowned in false disappointment as they joined arms and walked off, feigning irritation.

~PO4~

Piper led the way into the wine cellar where Paige quietly closed the door behind them. "Did you hear that?" Piper demanded, grabbing tightly onto Phoebe's arm.

"Not to worry. We still have thirty minutes before the wedding," Phoebe assured Piper, glancing down at her watch while Paige frowned uncertainly.

"So, I've got this really bad feeling about this," Paige whispered, getting pulled down the stairs after Piper and Phoebe. Her eyes flickered around the area nervously before spinning around upon hearing the door creak open. Two of the bridesmaids walked in and turned into demons as their eyes landed on Paige.

"This is bad," Piper whispered, walking up behind Paige and pulling her back safely behind her and Phoebe.

"I told you we shouldn't have listened to her!" Paige muttered, backing up as far as she could in the tight space.

"Did not," Phoebe argued, glaring at Paige.

"Well, I thought about it," Paige countered, returning the glare.

"Forget it. Freeze them!" Phoebe ordered Piper who bit her lip before throwing her hands out. Nothing happened so she tried again, receiving the same results. Phoebe flashed a look of impatience at Piper, thinking she was taking her time with the freezing.

"I'm trying. It's not working," Piper snapped, her eyes focused on the demons.

Phoebe's eyes landed on a fly that was frozen near them. "Yes, it is. Look. You froze the fly. You need to be closer to the object you're trying to freeze," Phoebe explained, exchanging a look with Paige who was clearing away a few boxes to allow them to escape down the tight hallway.

"Forget it. Run," Piper directed, turning away from the demonic bridesmaids and following Paige down the newly cleared walkway. As the Halliwell sisters disappeared the bridesmaids shape shifted back into their human form and stepped down to follow them.

 

The San Francisco Police Department

A police officer made his way to Inspector Morris' desk, placing a box of security tapes on it. "Here you go, Inspector," the officer allowed before turning and leaving.

Darryl reached over and pulled the first tape out. "Man, the Spencer's sure go through a lot of security," he commented, causing Andy to look up from his computer. Darryl tossed the tape to his partner's waiting hands, who easily caught it.

"All those cameras should have caught something around the time the priest was killed," Andy replied as he wheeled his chair around to the small television and VCR.

 

Outside the Spencer Estate

"It's 2:40. Could we have missed them?" Allison demanded, glancing at Prue who was nervously shifting from foot to foot.

"I hope not…" Prue whispered suddenly feeling a bit on edge. She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate. Piper, where are you?

To her surprise she received an answer back along with the feeling of being chased. We're in the wine cellar. Hurry. Prue's eyes snapped open to find Allison staring at her. "I'll… be right back. Wait here," Prue ordered, hurrying toward the front door.

~PO4~

In the wine cellar, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige moved from one tight hallway to another trying to make their way around to the door. "Why don't you just orb us out?" Phoebe muttered in frustration.

"Now probably isn't the best time to be testing whether I can orb all three of us out without getting caught," Paige pointed out indignantly.

"Then throw something at them. You're a witch, aren't you?" Phoebe snapped.

"What do you propose I throw? A bottle of wine? I have a feeling that would just piss them off more," Paige argued, glancing over to find the demons closing in. She irritably pushed Phoebe and Piper along.

"There has to be something bigger than that down here. Throw a crate," Phoebe retorted.

"Will you two just shut up. Prue is on her way," Piper spoke up sharply causing Phoebe and Paige to fall silent though they still shot daggers at each other.

~PO4~

Inside the Spencer Estate, Jade, dressed in her wedding gown, was opening some last minute presents. Kirsten handed over one of the presents on the pile to Jade, who eagerly took it from her. "This is from me. Your something borrowed," Kirsten explained.

Jade giggled as she took the package from her and tore it open revealing a large book. "Faust! I love this. I read it the last time I was here," Jade exclaimed excitedly. She looked around her expectantly for another present, but didn't find any. "What about my something blue?" she wondered. Kirsten looked behind Jade pointedly to Grace who was crying. Jade followed her eyes and smiled in understanding. "You're right. Nothing's bluer than the heart of a mother giving away her only son."

The San Francisco Police Department

Andy sat in his rolling chair, staring at the footage of this particular security tape. Kirsten and Grace were arguing about killing Father Trask.

Darryl rolled his eyes, giving up on the tape. "It's just two women talking. You can't even hear them," Darryl commented from where he sat behind Andy on the edge of the desk.

Andy glanced over with a faint smile. "What, you don't read lips?" Andy asked jokingly before leaning over to get a better look at the tape. "Something, killing a priest wasn't part of our deal," he repeated.

Darryl raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Man, you're good," he allowed, turning away from the small TV.

 

The Spencer Estate

Jade walked down the aisle toward Elliot who was waiting for her beside the priest who was beginning the ceremony. Elliot stepped forward to meet Jade as she neared.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate this sacred union as we join this man and this woman in holy matrimony," the priest began.

~PO4~

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige had finally made it to the door of the wine cellar when the demons caught up to them. Phoebe tried to push the door open but it refused to budge. They spun around to meet the demons.

"Okay, they're really close now. Freeze them," Phoebe ordered desperately.

"Great," Piper hissed, throwing her hands out. Paige let out a sigh of relief as they froze this time.

Prue finally found the door to the wine cellar and pulled it open to find her three sisters cornered by the demons. "Piper, Phoebe, Paige, duck!" she called. As they obeyed her, the eldest Halliwell narrowed her eyes and the demons flew into the wall behind them and fell to the ground. "Are you guys okay?" Prue asked worriedly.

"Yeah…" Paige breathed.

"Uh huh, nice timing," Phoebe agreed, taking deep breaths to calm herself down.

"Where's Allison?" Piper demanded, turning to face Prue.

"She's waiting for us outside," Prue replied, grabbing Paige by the hand and running out to the wedding with Phoebe and Piper right behind her.

~PO4~

"If there's anyone here who knows of a reason why these two should not be joined, speak now or forever hold your peace," the priest was saying as Prue, Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Allison began walking up the aisle catching the attention of the crowd as they passed.

"We have a reason," Piper called loudly. All heads that weren't already staring at them, turned to look at the sisters and Allison.

"I love you, Elliot!" Allison yelled from where she stood.

Jade, fuming, spun to face the sisters. "Why you little witch!" she snapped, focusing mostly on Piper since she recognized her the most.

"Hey!" Paige shouted back indignantly, stepping up in front of her elder sister.

Jade ignored her and held her hands up to the sky and began to chant. "By Asteria and Perses, open sky and do your worst!" Jade chanted enthusiastically. Above her, the clouds darkened and the wind picked up immediately at her words. The people attending the wedding fled in fear, confusing the sisters as they tried to get to Elliot. Jade spun back on Elliot and grabbed him by the arm. "You're coming with me,"she dictated, pulling him along to the house. The Halliwell sisters joined hands and tried to push their way through the  
crowd after Jade.

~PO4~

Andy and Darryl pulled up in their police car to find people fleeing the wedding as the storm picked up. They both exited the car immediately upon parking it.

"Well, this is exciting. I wonder what's going on here," Andy commented, watching the people in curiosity.

~PO4~

Jade had Elliot cornered on the bed when she turned into Hecate and the four Halliwell sisters barged into Elliot's room. They stopped suddenly upon seeing Hecate's demon form and instinctively backed up as much as possible. They screamed as Hecate's demonic bridesmaids pushed them into the room, cornering them as well. Prue was in front with Phoebe clinging onto her left arm. Piper was next to Phoebe with Paige behind the two of them.

"Alright, quick. We have to banish them back to the underworld," Prue decided, pulling her purse up to look for the poignard. Hecate rolled off Elliot, letting him fall to the ground as she advanced toward them. 

"Uh… the poignard, it's gone," Prue explained to her sister's waiting expressions.

"Prue!" Paige screamed in disbelief while her eyes widened. Elliot pushed himself to his feet and grabbed hold of the poignard which was lying on the floor next to him.

"Elliot!" Phoebe pointed out, seeing him pick it up. Prue, Piper, and Paige all looked fearfully over at him, not sure what he was going to do. To their relief, he turned to face Hecate and the knife began to glow as if it sensed their presence.

"Prue, do something," Piper pleaded, hitting her lightly on the back. Prue bit her lip slightly before narrowing her eyes at each of the bridesmaids, sending them into the knife, which sucked up their essence. She did the same to Hecate and the room fell silent.

The glow on the poignard faded and died before Elliot turned to face the sisters. "Whoever you three are. Thank you," he spoke gratefully, handing the knife back to Prue who smiled and nodded politely. Prue ran a hand through her hair in relief, Piper breathed easier and leaned into her elder sister, Phoebe and Paige exchanged a high five and a laugh at the outcome.

~PO4~

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige finally made their way out of the Spencer Estate. As they passed where the wedding had begun they caught sight of Allison and Elliot together. "We did that," Prue whispered happily, nodding her head in their direction.

"And they'll live happily ever after," Phoebe added as if finishing a story.

"I wonder if we will," Piper mused while watching the couple closely.

"Of course we will," Paige answered with confidence.

"Why shouldn't we?" Prue wondered, glancing over at Piper with curious eyes.

"That's easy for you guys to say. You'll never greet your husband at the door with 'honey, I think I froze the kids,'" Piper countered half-laughing.

"No, I just accidently moved them to another zip code," Prue countered with a good-natured roll of her eyes.

"But I will see where they are," Phoebe pointed out, a grin crossing her features.

"And I will orb to them and bring them safely home!" Paige finished the joke. "If I ever figure out how to control my powers enough."

"If any of us can," Piper agreed as the sisters all joined in the laughing.

"Just think of the obstacles that Allison and Elliot have overcome. If they can do it, so can we," Phoebe replied confidently.

"Oh, it's so much like a fairytale," Paige exclaimed with a happy sigh.

"I guess true love does conquer all," Prue mused in agreement.

"Especially if you have separate bathrooms," Phoebe added as a joke.

Piper looked up and noticed Andy walking toward them. Phoebe followed her eyes and saw him too. The two sisters broke into smiles. "Speaking of true love," Piper teased with a pointed look at Prue. Prue glanced up to see what they were laughing about and caught sight of Andy.

"Ooh," Paige breathed following Phoebe and Prue as Phoebe pulled the eldest Halliwell along toward Andy. Piper brought up the rear. The four sisters stopped just in front of Andy.

"Fancy seeing you here," Andy commented, not seeming surprised in the least at finding all four Halliwells present.

"Yeah, isn't it?" Prue whispered a little uncertain about how to explain. Her eyes flickered to look down at the poignard in her hand. "Uh, I wanted to give this back to you. I'm finished with it," she explained, carefully handing it to him.

Andy narrowed his eyes slightly in good-natured suspicion. "How'd you know I'd be here?" he asked while taking the knife from her.

"Uh, I didn't. I was going to drop it off after the wedding," Prue clarified, ending with an innocent smile.

"Aha," Andy grinned and offered his hand to her. "Shall we talk about this in private, Prue?" he suggested. Prue smiled slightly and took his hand. He gently pulled her toward him and they walked off toward his car, leaving Piper, Phoebe, and Paige giggling. Prue turned around just enough to give her sisters a quick glare.

"Do you believe in destiny?" Phoebe laughed softly into Piper and Paige's ears.

"He believes in destiny," Piper giggled, leaning heavily into Phoebe, as she tried to stifle her giggles.

"Shhh…" Paige hissed, her face growing red from laughing so much. The three remaining Halliwells watched their sister disappear before linking arms and, still laughing, left for their car.


	13. The Fifth Sister Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your reviews !

The Fifth Sister

Aviva's Room

Aviva left her closet carrying a small statue that she carefully placed in the middle of the rug in front of her. She sat down amidst the many black candles that formed a circle around her room. As she moved into a meditative position one of the candles flickered and died. Aviva picked up the lighter and relit it before holding her hands out, palm up, and beginning to chant.

"Come to me, Kali. I conjure thee, Kali. Come to me, Kali. I conjure thee, Kali," she slowly chanted, her eyes tightly closed in concentration. The mirror glowed a faint color of blue for a moment as a woman's figure appeared instead of a reflection.

"I'm here, Aviva," Kali called in greeting.

Aviva opened her eyes and smiled at her mentor in relief. "It's been over a week," Aviva responded, her voice cracking in her relief of finding Kali. She had begun to think Kali had ditched her.

"I know. Be patient, Aviva," Kali replied in a pampering voice.

"But I've done everything that you've asked. I've followed the Halliwell sisters. I know their every move," Aviva pointed out with the typical impatience of a teenager. She looked pleadingly into the mirror at Kali.

"Which will all become valuable in good time. You must trust me. You must make them want you as badly as you want them," Kali answered slowly to the teenager.

Aviva looked away toward her closet in her disappointment, but obediently let the subject drop. "I talked to my mom today," she admitted with a faint smile while looking back toward Kali. She didn't have anyone else to talk to and she didn't want Kali to leave so soon.

"How is she?" Kali asked feigning interest in Aviva's mother.

"I don't know. She's better… I think. I miss her," Aviva replied in optimism for her mother's health.

"She's going to be so proud of you," Kali announced, causing Aviva to smile hopefully at Kali.

"Yeah? I hope so," Aviva whispered, her eyes glowing at the thought of having her mother back.

Kali smiled encouragingly and decided it was best to put her plan into motion. "Are you ready to receive your power?" Kali questioned temptingly.

Aviva smiled and giggled wondering what power she was going to be given. "You know I am," she countered, bouncing a little in her excitement.

"Remember, it's a sacred power. If I give it to you, you must use it only as I say," Kali reminded Aviva who nodded eagerly in understanding.

"I will. I promise," Aviva agreed hastily.

"Very well. Reach for the mirror. Put out your hands. Feel the power," Kali instructed. Aviva hesitated but a moment before holding her hands out toward the mirror. Her hands began to glow and she closed her eyes, feeling the power course through her. After several long moments the glow disappeared and she dropped her hands to her side, looking up at Kali expectantly. "You know what to do. Go to Phoebe, Piper, Paige, and Prue," she ordered. Aviva immediately jumped to her feet and grabbed her jacket off the door to her closet before leaving her room. As the door closed, the mirror changed from a soft blue to the bright colors of flames with Kali in the middle, appearing much more intimidating then she had been with Aviva.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Piper sat in the Conservatory holding a bunch of 'REWARD' flyers for Kit. She was flipping absent-mindedly through them when Leo walked in and made his way to the fireplace in front of her. Piper smiled to herself and set the flyers aside as he leaned down to take a look in the fireplace.

"Uh… well, I think I see… yep. There's definitely something here," Leo announced, mostly to himself as he stuck a flashlight up the chimney.

"Definitely…" Piper agreed to herself, checking Leo out as he was engaged with the fireplace.

Phoebe, carrying a mug of coffee, entered the Conservatory, but stopped when she caught sight of Leo in the fireplace. "Oh my. Santa, you've changed," Phoebe spoke up as she moved carefully around Leo to stand next to Piper.

"He's looking for Kit," Piper explained to Phoebe, glad that Leo hadn't caught her little sister's comment.

"The cat. Right. Four legs, fur. I remember," Phoebe replied distractedly, not looking away from Leo until he began to move away from the fireplace. She glanced at Piper, apparently impressed with Leo. 'Oh my God.' She mouthed to Piper before Leo turned to face them. Piper just smiled slightly and looked up at Leo, who was cat-less.

"Sorry. You know, have you tried the shelter?" Leo suggested in an apology.

"Yeah, nothing," Piper answered sitting forward and frowning ever-so-slightly.

"Well, she had her collar on, right? With your number on it and everything?" Leo asked optimistically.

"A very distinctive collar actually," Phoebe responded before Piper could say anything. She took a sip of her coffee so as to ignore the warning glance Piper sent her.

"Anyways…" Piper began bringing Leo's attention back to her before he could question what Phoebe meant. She stood up and took several steps toward him. "Uh, thanks for looking. I'm sure you must be hungry after all that work," Piper continued with an innocent smile.

"All what work?" Leo laughed as Piper stopped next to Phoebe.

Phoebe, recognizing Piper's flirting, was unwilling to let her sister take Leo quite so easily. He was still fair game. With that in mind, Phoebe joined in her laugh with Leo's and put her arm around the shoulders of the elder Halliwell. "Oh, that's just Piper. She's gotta be everyone's mom. Think of her as your mom. I know I do," Phoebe explained to Leo, causing Piper to narrow her eyes slightly at her younger sister.

"Isn't she a scream?" Piper joked, unwilling to let Phoebe embarrass her too much.

Leo looked away and sat his tools down next to the fireplace. "Well thanks, um… let me go put up these flyers first and I'll be right back, okay?" he suggested before taking the 'REWARD' flyers from Piper and heading out. He walked and nearly tripped over the fireplace screen that he had moved.

"Oh, careful," Phoebe spoke up immediately as Leo caught himself.

"You alright?" Piper asked with concern.

"Yeah, yeah… I'll just…" Leo began but trailed off as he moved the screen back in front of the fireplace where no one else would trip over it.

"Antique," Piper added, biting her lip slightly.

"Grandma's," Phoebe finished as Leo left. Piper and Phoebe both turned to watch him leave, checking him out as he left. "Oh. Quite possibly the finest glutes in the city," she muttered to herself and Piper.

"In the state," Piper corrected, neither pair of eyes leaving Leo.

"In all the land," Phoebe took it a step further with a little laugh.

"I saw him first," Piper immediately stated.

"Uh uh," Phoebe disagreed, casting a glance at Piper.

"Uh huh," the elder Halliwell argued.

"Uh…" Phoebe sighed in defeat.

~PO4~

Outside the Manor, Leo was hanging up the flyers for Kit on the nearby signposts. Aviva sat in her car looking for an opportunity to meet the Halliwells. As Leo left to walk farther down the street, her eyes focused on the flyer. She narrowed her eyes and the flyer caught fire. She grinned, recognizing the perfect opportunity.

The Halliwell Manor

Piper moved through the kitchen preparing a cinnamon roll and a glass of milk for Leo as he began to work on the walls of the Manor. She made her way to the Foyer where Leo was already on a ladder, preparing to remove the stain from the walls.

"Here you go, Leo. Non-fat milk, right?" Piper asked cheerfully, setting the plate on top of the ladder and handing him the glass of milk.

"Right, thanks," Leo answered with a nod.

Piper smiled and took a few steps back. "Just don't call me Mom," she replied cheekily which Leo agreed to the terms with a soft laugh. Piper looked around Leo at the sounds of her sisters coming down the stairs.

"Trust me. One hot night is all you guys need to get back on track," Phoebe was saying just before both she and Prue entered the Foyer.

"Yeah, I hope you're right," Prue confessed hopefully. She wasn't completely convinced, but it would definitely help for a while.

"Andy's a cop, you're a witch…" Phoebe continued, not noticing Leo in the room.

"Ahem!" Piper coughed, gaining both her sisters' attention. Prue shot a warning glance at Phoebe, who just smiled innocently.

"… Expect complications," the younger of the Halliwell sisters finished before turning her attention to Leo.

"Hey, Leo. How's it going?" Prue asked, distracting Leo from their previous conversation. Piper smiled ever-so-slightly at Prue's technique and casually leaned against the edge of the door.

"Good, uh, this wall only needs two coats and then I gotta do the molding and then I'm done," Leo explained, pointing towards the wall that he was currently working on.

"Awww…" Phoebe whined causing Prue and Piper to glance at her curiously. "Are you sure it doesn't need three coats?" she questioned in an attempt to prolong his stay.

"Uh…" Leo shrugged, glancing around at the wall again.

Piper frowned in frustration at her sister's continued flirting with Leo. Phoebe could get anybody. Couldn't she just let Piper have the one guy she wanted? "Nice outfit… for 9 o'clock in the morning with no place to go," Piper pointed out casually, letting a hint of her frustration out. Prue narrowed her eyes and looked between her sisters, appearing thoughtful at their rivalry.

Phoebe smiled, unfazed by Piper's comment. "Hmm… I'm glad you like it," she replied as Leo, ignoring the sisters' conversation took a sip of his milk. Phoebe's eyes flickered to him and recognized a perfect opportunity for some additional flirting. "Ooh, Leo. Come here," she ordered seductively, approaching him and wiping the milk mustache off his face.

"Got milk?" Phoebe joked. Leo laughed while Piper rolled her eyes, inwardly fuming at her little sister.

Prue didn't miss the subtle movements of either sister and jumped to help Piper. "Uh… Phoebe, come here," Prue ordered, keeping her voice calm and casual though there was a hint of her typical authority in it. Phoebe ignored Prue and continued to stare and flutter her eyes at Leo until Prue grabbed Phoebe's arm and jerked her away. "Phoebe!" Prue snapped, pulling her little sister toward the kitchen. Phoebe reluctantly followed, leaving Piper and Leo alone in the Foyer. "I think Piper likes Leo," the eldest Halliwell brought up casually as she made her way to the counter to start the morning coffee. There really was no 'think' behind it, she knew, but it was best to slowly bring up the topic of 'backing off' with Phoebe.  
"  
What's not to like? He's a great guy," Phoebe acknowledged, leaning against the table, her eyes following Prue.

"No, I mean really likes him," Prue countered, pouring some of the coffee into her coffee mug.

Before Phoebe could say anything, Paige came into the kitchen, her brown hair slightly curled and looking casual yet flashy at the same time. "Morning guys!" she greeted her sisters cheerfully as she took the coffee from Prue and poured herself a cup.

"Hey, sis. Where've you been all morning?" Prue wondered, tilting her head slightly at the youngest Halliwell sister.

"Getting ready. I have a job today. At least, I think I may have come across something that deserves my Wiccan attention," Paige replied, sounding fairly excited at the thought.

She just felt drawn to this person. Like she was meant to help. Plus she wanted to be able to do something herself… without her sisters.

"Are you talking about the guy you ran into again?" Phoebe asked curiously. Paige had come in a few days earlier talking about the guy she thought she was meant to help. Prue had told her to follow her instincts so she had been working out what to do with the situation since.

"Yeah…" Paige answered a little warily. Her chocolate brown eyes flickered to the Foyer where she had watched most of the exchange between Phoebe and Leo. "Piper really likes Leo, Phoebe," she reiterated what she had just heard Prue tell Phoebe just moments before.

Phoebe's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Your point being?" Phoebe snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

Paige rolled her eyes while Prue just looked up at her in disbelief. "Never mind. Classic Phoebe," Prue muttered which Paige readily agreed with.

"Wait! Define that," Phoebe ordered defensively.

"You know what," Paige replied with a slight nod.

"Okay, look. We need to put some major closure on this or we're gonna be in rocking chairs slurping oatmeal out of rubber spoons and I'm still gonna hear about Roger, James, Michael and whoever else," Phoebe began with frustration as Piper joined her other three sisters in the kitchen for a cup of coffee. Prue leaned against the table silently listening to

Phoebe while Paige got comfortable on the counter. Phoebe immediately turned to Piper knowing the answers of Prue and Paige. "Piper, am I a boyfriend thief?" she demanded, expecting a 'no' from the cool-headed Halliwell.

"Totally," Piper answered shortly, hardly needing to think about it. Prue and Paige both glanced triumphantly at Phoebe who appeared stunned at the Halliwell Mediator's reply.

"What have I ever done to you?" Phoebe asked.

"My boyfriend. Billy Wilson," Piper replied, her eyes flickering up to meet Phoebe.

Phoebe closed her eyes trying to think of someone by the name of Billy Wilson. "Billy Will… Eighth grade, Billy Wilson?" Phoebe questioned with a roll of her eyes.

"You kissed him at homecoming," Piper reminded her.

"No, I did not kiss him at homecoming. I was helping him find a contact lens," Phoebe argued, her voice rising in disbelief. Prue glanced thoughtfully between Piper and Phoebe at the new revelation while Paige looked mildly surprised that Phoebe would steal one of Piper's boyfriends. Piper had few boyfriends to begin with but she had always been the nicer of the sisters to Phoebe, especially after Phoebe had turned to Paige's boyfriends.

"Oh, please. You were all over him with your breasts all… whatever," Piper trailed off, throwing her hands up in her frustration.

"I didn't even have breasts back then," Phoebe retorted.

"Phoebe, you've always had breasts," Piper countered with a shake of her head. Phoebe raised her eyebrows thoughtfully at the comment.

"So, I think I'll just let you two work this out on your own. But, um, just remember, I get the house tonight. Just Andy and me. No warlocks, no innocents to protect, and especially no sisters," Prue spoke up pointedly. She grabbed her mug of coffee and left for the front door.

Piper looked thoughtfully toward Paige and then to Phoebe. "So you know… it's not like either one of us has a problem finding guys," Piper began, taking several steps toward Phoebe.

Phoebe snorted at the thought and rolled her eyes. "Please," Phoebe laughed.

"So, if one of us…. Gets Leo… it'd be okay with the other one," Piper slowly continued.

"Absolutely," Phoebe agreed.

"So we can just consider this a friendly competition," Piper proposed casually beating the wooden spoon that she was holding against the palm of her hand.

"Sibling rivalry."

"War," the elder Halliwell stated.

"Exactly," Phoebe answered.

Paige rolled her eyes at her two sisters. "Okay, if you guys are done… can I talk to you, Piper?" Paige wondered, glancing hopefully over at Piper.

Piper glanced curiously over at her youngest sister. "Sure."

 

Aviva's Room

Aviva irritably slammed the door to her room, her eyes flickering over to look at her book bag which remained untouched from the previous day. Not yet ready to enter the personal Hell of school she flipped her stereo on, turned the volume so loud that the objects on her dresser vibrated from the sound waves, and flopped onto her bed. Aviva reached down and grabbed her diary out from under her bed and turned her attention to the next clean page in the small book.

"Dear Diary…" she began just as her Aunt Jackie knocked loudly on her door.

"Aviva, open the door!" her Aunt called over the blaring music.

Aviva didn't even look up in acknowledgement and kept writing. "Life sucks here," she continued with a roll of her eyes. Such an understatement.

"I'm going to be late for work!" Aunt Jackie added, her frustration causing her voice to rise another pitch. Without waiting for any response, Aunt Jackie opened the door.

Aviva jumped slightly and slammed her diary closed, so as not to let her Aunt read her secrets. She quickly slid the diary back under her bed and jumped up into a sitting position.

"So, that part about this being my room, that was a lie?" Aviva challenged while her Aunt stared in disbelief at her niece.

"It's my apartment, Aviva," she pointed out mildly.

"So you keep reminding me, Aunt Jackie," the teenager retorted coldly to her current guardian.

Aunt Jackie took a few deep breaths to calm herself recognizing Aviva's hostility was about to erupt into another argument. "Why don't you get some light and air in here?" Aunt Jackie asked, changing the subject to Aviva's sparsely lit bedroom. She turned and made her way to the window behind her about to push it up when Aviva's voice froze her in her steps.

"Because I like it dark and stale," she snapped standing up and crossing her arms defiantly across her chest.

Aunt Jackie turned slowly to face Aviva, who raised her eyebrows expecting a confrontation. "Why are you so antagonistic to me?" she questioned with narrowed eyes.

"Why haven't you called my mom yet?" Aviva wondered, her voice switching from the defiant and challenging teenager to an upset adolescent.

"What?" Aunt Jackie demanded, not expecting that response to say the least.

"To see how she's doing or just say 'hello?' It would help you know. I mean, it's not like she's got a lot of family," Aviva explained to her Aunt's puzzled expression. Her voice had a hint of an accusation under everything else.

"She has got to take responsibility for her own actions," Aunt Jackie replied, crossing her arms across her chest.

"She's not in jail. She's in rehab. She didn't do anything wrong to take responsibility for. She's sick and that's it. It's nothing to be ashamed of," Aviva countered, her voice rising.

"Whatever," Aunt Jackie snapped, turning on her heel and stalking out of her niece's room. Aviva followed her to slam the door shut behind her and locking it so her Aunt couldn't get back in. She spun back around and reached again for her diary.

 

The Halliwell Manor

"It sounds more like an attraction to me, not something magical, Paigey," Piper pointed out casually when Paige explained her idea about what she had planned. Paige frowned and cast a glare at her older sister. 

"Look, I know I'm supposed to help. I don't know how and I'm not really sure why, but I do. I've had plenty of attractions and they don't feel this way," Paige tried to explain to Piper who raised her eyebrows curiously. Paige had thought she would run her idea by Piper since Prue had already left and Phoebe was more interested in flirting with Leo than anything, but apparently Piper didn't share Prue's forwardness with this situation… and she wasn't too keen with giving up her car for the day.

"Okay… repeat it again. I'll follow this time," Piper urged with a half-smile. Prue was telling her now that the important thing was Paige thought she was onto something. Be a confidence booster…

"I could have sworn I saw something following him and I'm going to figure out what it was," Paige replied, deciding not to go into the whole explanation again. It would take far too much time.

"So what? You're going to stalk this guy? What if he catches you?" Piper prompted, appearing to disapprove of the idea.

"See, stalking is such a harsh word, I like to call it trailing… kinda like a dog. You know, man's best friend kinda thing. Bark, Bark…" Paige laughed, almost teasingly at Piper who was so worried about everything. 

"Don't worry, I've got the whole thing figured out," she reassured her elder sister.

Piper remained unconvinced, but sighed in defeat. "Fine… you can borrow my car, but don't leave it empty and if you need help you better call one of us," Piper ordered reluctantly.

Paige smiled gratefully and pulled Piper into a quick hug. "Thank you so much! I promise I will if I need anything," Paige agreed, grabbing Piper's keys off the hook next to the door. Step one of the operation was set. Her innocent (hopefully) went from one side of San Francisco to the other, from places in-between to back again all in one day. A taxi would be a nightmare. All she had to do now was find him.

~PO4~

Paige pulled up in front of the nearby church and made her way inside, her brown eyes scouring the area for the young man. This was where she had seen him last and she sincerely hoped one of the priests would help identify him. Not having a picture, she had resorted to painting a portrait of him. Kind of weird, yes, but that thing following him given her a creepy feeling.

"Excuse me, Father, I was wondering if you could help me," Paige pleaded to the nearest priest, with hopeful eyes.

He turned to face her and smiled gently. "How may I help?" he wondered politely. The priest put the pen down he had been writing with and turned his full attention to the young woman in front of him.

"I was hoping maybe you could help me find…." Paige began to ask, but her hand froze in the process of pulling out the portrait. Her eyes had flickered over the shoulder of the priest in front of her and caught sight of the young man. "Him!" Paige finished slightly shocked. He was definitely handsome, nice features, light hair, and dark emerald-green eyes. She shook her head to clear it of the train of thought that had nothing to do with why she was here. As she watched behind him there was a translucent… shadow, for lack of a better word, following him. It was like a ripple. Every now and then it became visible before disappearing again. Her eyes narrowed before Paige suddenly became aware that the priest was staring at her curiously. "Uh… I found him, but thanks anyways. I really appreciate it!" Paige apologized for bothering the priest and then took off after the young man that was now leaving the church. Paige jumped behind some large statues and, after making sure no one could possibly see her, orbed out. When she reappeared she was behind some bushes that overlooked the parking lot. She ran out scanning the parking lot for him until she felt the impact of someone bumping into her and she fell over with a scream of surprise.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Ma'am. Are you okay?" she heard someone asking.

Paige glanced up and caught sight of the man she'd been looking for. 'Perfect Paige, you just ran into him,' she thought with a slight roll of her eyes. She quickly recovered and allowed him to pull her up. "Yes, of course. It's okay really… uh?" Paige stumbled uncertainly, when she met his eyes. Wow…

"Alex. You can call me Alex. Are you sure you're okay?" the young man answered.

Paige nodded hurriedly. "Promise… I'm Paige, by the way," she introduced herself, blushing slightly despite trying her best to remain calm. Alex stared at her for a moment trying to judge if she was really alright, but he had to agree she didn't seem hurt. Just a little flustered. Paige suddenly remembered why she had been following him in the first place and she looked behind him just in time to see the flickering shadow before it disappeared again. Now she was close enough to pick out the outline. It obviously wasn't a shadow because it didn't follow Alex's movements. The outline did show her a human figure so it was probably something supernatural, not a trick of the light. But did Alex realize it? It didn't appear so at the moment.

"So, uh, Paige. It's great to meet you. Do you mind if I buy you a drink or something? You know, as an apology for knocking you over…" Alex suggested a little nervously to the beautiful woman in front of him.

Paige tilted her head slightly and smiled. It would be a great way to keep an eye on him… and who was she kidding? She wanted a drink with this guy. "Sure," she agreed cheerfully. Alex smiled in relief and led her to the nearby café. Paige wasn't really the type of person to go with a guy she had just met, but Phoebe did it all the time so what was the big deal? Besides… she could orb.

 

The Video Store

Prue and Andy walked hand in hand into the video store to pick a movie for their date later on in the evening. Andy was immediately drawn toward the 'Action' movies while Prue let him go to look over in the 'Romantic' section. Without noticing Prue wanted some romance he picked up a movie that he had seen a while ago that he particularly enjoyed.

"Ah, ever seen Lethal Weapon 3?" Andy asked, spinning to find her while holding the movie up so she could see it.

"Not very romantic," Prue pointed out with a glance over her shoulder. What was it with men and violence? Just the name itself screamed the main idea of the movie.

Andy blinked in realization and placed the movie back on the rack. "Right…" he agreed, looking on down the rack with a slight smile playing on his lips. They were going to be here forever.

"Hey!" Prue called for his attention turning around to show him the movie in her hands. "How about Double Indemnity?" she suggested with a shrug. The two protagonists shoot each other… that's pretty violent, right? Andy didn't say anything for a moment as he looked at the movie. Prue knew from his staring that he didn't approve. She raised her eyebrows prompting an explanation.

He glanced around at the people around him making sure no one was listening before he turned back to Prue. "It's black and white," he whispered and Prue's light blue eyes lit with understanding though she rolled them just the same.

"Right," she admitted, sticking the movie back where she had gotten it. So the movie had to have action, romance, and be in color…

As she put the movie back a video store clerk came up to them. "Video paralysis," the video store clerk observed, having watched the young couple for the past few moments.

"Excuse me?" Prue asked curiously, turning to look at the man who happened to be standing on the other side of the movie rack where Andy was at.

"You're probably two minutes away from leaving without a rental. Mind if I help? After all I am a pro," the clerk offered. Prue smiled at the truth of the situation, but glanced at

Andy to make the decision.

"Sure," Andy agreed, recognizing that Prue was fine with it. Besides the clerk was probably right… they most likely wouldn't agree on anything before they got frustrated and left.

The video store clerk left and Prue flipped her hair self-consciously over her shoulder feeling Andy's eyes watching her. He laughed silently before speaking again. "Doesn't matter what we pick anyway. We'll probably never get around to watching it."

Prue tilted her head slightly and narrowed her eyes playfully at his arrogance. "Oh yeah? Pretty cocky," she commented.

Andy looked up at her curiously before realizing what she thought he was talking about. He grinned at the mix-up and approached her quickly. "Actually what I meant was something always seems to come up. Get in our way," he corrected her while Prue narrowed her eyes more.

"That's not true!" Prue argued. Andy raised his eyebrows knowingly and Prue frowned slightly when she realized how often it did seem to happen. "Okay, well maybe it's sometimes true… but there's always a perfectly good reason."

"Prue, there's never a perfectly good reason. As a matter of fact, there's never usually a reason at all. Good, bad, or otherwise," Andy pointed out and Prue conceded the point.

"Alright," she allowed and took a few steps closer to him. "You… me… alone… tonight… Nothing, and I mean nothing will get in our way. Guaranteed," Prue proposed seductively.

"I'll hold you to that," Andy stated, his hand coming up to rest against her cheek. God, her eyes were killing him here. Why'd she have to do that in this place? It was getting harder to resist…

"Okay…" Prue whispered half-laughing at him just before he gave in and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

"I got it," the video store clerk announced, coming over to the kissing couple. Andy and Prue politely pulled apart to look at him. "Body Heat."

They exchanged a glance, silently agreeing. "We'll take it," they announced at the same time, flashing glances at each other.

 

Aviva's Room

Aviva was once again sitting in front of the mirror as she summoned her mentor again. "I conjure thee, Kali," she chanted as the mirror glowed the soft blue and Kali appeared in the reflection.

"I'm here, Aviva," Kali assured the adolescent who looked up at her hopefully.

"I'm going crazy here, Kali. I can't wait any longer," Aviva pleaded with innocent impatience. Her eyes never left the mirror as she silently hoped Kali would let her begin her mission.

"The Halliwells don't understand our way. They don't know the full uses and joys of their powers," Kali warned slowly.

"I'll show them," Aviva promised, not fully understanding the problem.

"You must gain their trust first. You must let them welcome you into their coven," Kali continued while Aviva nodded quickly.

"I won't disappoint you. I swear," the young witch announced. She had a feeling this was it. She was about to begin.

"Then it's time," Kali began, her face splitting into a wide grin. The door to the closet opened beside Aviva who quickly looked inside to find Kit the cat. She eagerly picked the cat up and turned back to face Kali. 

"Take the cat back to the Halliwells," Kali instructed.

 

The Nearby Café

Paige and Alex had spent most of the day seated at the café just talking. Paige was now certain that he was unaware of anything out of the ordinary. Just a typical mortal it seemed with typical interests much like she used to have… and still did to an extent. They had hit it off pretty quickly. It turned out Alex had been adopted just as she had for awhile. He had actually been visiting the church, specifically to spend some time with his adoptive family. They were apparently pretty religious. He was a year older than Paige, but was still in college. Currently he worked at his family-owned mechanic workshop. Paige made a mental note to see if he would check out Prue's car. Ever since her car had broken down because of the water pump thingy over-heating, the air conditioning hadn't worked. It may or may not be connected, but how would she know? Despite all the information she had learned there was nothing to suggest why Alex would be involved with anything supernatural. They were now walking back to church where they had left their  
cars, acutely aware that the sun was now beginning to set. Paige was now warily staring at the flickering shadow that stood not too far from her. She could almost swear it was looking back at her.

"It was great to meet you, Paige. Maybe we could hang out sometime this weekend?" Alex suggested, breaking the silence that had been between them for most of the walk back to their cars. It was a beautiful night and no reason to ruin it with their talk.

"Actually, I'd love too," Paige agreed, quickly pulling a piece of paper and pen from her purse where she scribbled her number down on it. She hesitated turning away from him with the flickering shadow still around, but so far he hadn't been hurt by it, even when he had been walking alone several days before. Besides, she couldn't do anything without checking the book now that she had observed it for awhile. Alex walked away as Paige pulled her car door open, only to have something shut it. She spun around, looking for the culprit. She shivered as she felt eyes watching her and then she saw it. The flickering shadow, no longer flickering, but growing more and more visible until a person stood in front of her. Her eyes widened in horror as he reached out and grabbed her by the throat and pushed her up against Piper's car.

"Can't have you ruining my plans, little witch," he hissed, slowly applying more pressure to Paige's throat. She orbed out of his grip to land behind him, stumbling slightly and gasping for breath. The demon spun around and pulled out an athame.

"Hey, Paige? Is everything okay?" Alex's voice, cut through the silence. He had heard the struggle and was quickly approaching where he had left Paige. The demon smiled and turned to look where Alex was going to come into view, steadying the athame for a throw.

"He would have lived longer if you hadn't gotten in the way," the demon laughed and threw the athame straight where Alex had just come around a nearby car. Paige's eyes widened and she reached out for the weapon. "Athame!" she yelled. Just before the athame hit Alex, it disappeared in orbs and appeared in Paige's hand where she promptly sent it flying at the demon. The demon shimmered out before the athame struck him and instead imbedded itself in the side of Piper's car. Damn. Piper's gonna kill me.

"What the Hell?" Alex demanded, staring with confusion at the situation that had just occurred.

"Uh… I can explain, but you need to come with me or he might come back," Paige pleaded with him to come with her. She needed to get to the book. Alex hesitated as Paige opened the door to Piper's car and jumped in, pulling out the athame as she did so. He eventually made his way around to the passenger side hoping he was making the right decision about this woman.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Piper peeked nervously around the corner of the door toward where Leo was finishing up staining the wall. She self-consciously played with her hair, making sure it looked nice before stepping out toward Leo. 

"'Bout done for the day?" she asked pleasantly, making her way carefully around the furniture between them. She had a slight bounce in her step in an effort to keep from looking nervous in front of him.

"Just about," Leo replied, casting a glance and a half-smile at the Halliwell sister.

"Uh, well, Prue's got a date tonight so we kinda gotta clear out," Piper explained and then took a deep breath before continuing. "I was thinking about catching a movie, wanna go?" she finished, holding her breath nervously for his answer.

"I can't do it," Leo lamented, stepping back and staring at the wall.

Piper's heart sank but felt more than a little annoyed at the harshness of his answer and the fact that he pushed past her, still staring at the wall. He wouldn't even look at her!

"Okay…" Piper muttered turning slightly to watch him walk to the other side of the door frame.

"You know… These are original to the house. I mean, they really should be sanded down, finished off with steel wool, and… and re-stained. Not covered in paint," Leo finally elaborated, glancing back to look at Piper while putting his hand on the door frame.

Piper quickly realized he had been talking about the walls the whole time and felt a little better. "Oh, right. Kinda like making risotto with minute rice," she realized with a slight nod. Leo chuckled at how she chose to relate the information to though he didn't really understand it himself. Piper seemed to notice because she rushed to explain a little.

"Cooking analogy."

"Yeah," Leo laughed. Piper joined in a little nervously, but he didn't seem to notice and continued. "Anyway, uh, I have some stain samples at home if you're interested. I can bring them by tomorrow and show them to you and your sisters."

"Or better yet, why don't you just bring them by the restaurant? Say about lunchtime? Prue and Paige are really busy and Phoebe doesn't really care. She's more into stucco,"

Piper suggested hopefully. That would at least keep him away from Phoebe for a little bit.

"Okay," Leo agreed softly.

"Okay," Piper repeated, settling the matter.

"So what time's that movie?" Leo asked curiously. Piper broke into a huge smile, but didn't have time to reply before the door bell rang catching her train of thought.

"I got it!" Phoebe called from the Conservatory as she made her way to the front door. She opened it to find Aviva on the front steps holding Kit tightly against her. "Kit! Oh my god, where did you find her? We were worried sick," Phoebe exclaimed, quickly taking Kit from Aviva in her excitement.

Aviva smiled slightly at the reception. So far so good for her. "I was just walking by and I, um, saw one of your flyers and poof. There she was. Like magic," Aviva answered, purposely throwing in the 'magic' part, watching for a reaction.

Phoebe laughed nervously, ushering Aviva into their house and closing the door behind the teenager. "Wow. I can't even believe she let you hold her," Phoebe whispered as Aviva looked around the house in fascination until Phoebe herded her into the Conservatory. Piper quickly made her way into the Conservatory to find out what the commotion was. Prue was getting really close and they needed to get out soon. The thought flew from her mind when she caught sight of Kit in Phoebe's arms. "Welcome home, Kitty!" Piper exclaimed just as enthusiastically as Phoebe had. Phoebe laughed and passed Kit over to Piper's waiting hands. Leo entered behind Piper as she pulled Kit up against her. "Oh, you must be starving," she guessed sympathetically.

"I fed her," Aviva spoke up, sitting down on the couch.

Phoebe sat down beside her on the arm of the couch. "I thought you said you just found her," Phoebe pointed out.

"I did. Oh, um, a couple of hours ago, I mean," Aviva clarified, thinking quickly.

"And she didn't try to scratch you?" Piper questioned curiously. She was little surprised when Aviva shook her head. Kit was usually very touchy with people.

"You know, I'll take the flyers down tomorrow. Let me, uh, clean up before the movie," Leo stated, looking over at Piper.

Phoebe looked up quickly, her eyes narrowed slightly. "Movie? What movie?" she demanded, her eyes flickering from Leo to Piper before resting on her elder sister.

"A war movie," Piper replied, hoping Phoebe wouldn't care to see such a movie.

"I love war movies… Mind if I tag along?" Phoebe wondered slyly, glancing up at Leo with hopeful eyes.

Leo shrugged and glanced at Piper, assuming it was okay. "Uh, sure. Why not? I'll be right back," Leo responded, turning away for the stairs. Phoebe grinned triumphantly while

Piper silently fumed and glared at Phoebe.

"You guys aren't going out are you?" Aviva asked. She couldn't have them leaving yet. She needed to talk to them. "I mean, you just got your cat back," she stated, snatching at anything she could to keep them in the house.

"Oh, she'll be fine. Let me get my purse," Piper answered hastily, sitting Kit down and running to get her purse, remembering their deadline. She quickly pulled out her checkbook and turned to Aviva. "Uh, what's your name?"

"Oh, no, no. I don't want your money," Aviva insisted as she realized what Piper was asking for. Before Piper could say anything the door from the parlor could be heard shutting and Andy, Prue, Paige, and Alex came in. Prue was obviously unsurprised at finding her sisters still home having been checking in frequently with Piper to see if they had left yet. She just couldn't stall going into the house anymore as Paige had shown up with Alex. Paige looked rather guilty at being caught coming back into the house when everyone was supposed to have left or, at least, be leaving. Plus she could tell Prue wasn't too sure about Alex and she couldn't explain anything with Andy there.

Piper and Phoebe looked up guiltily as everyone came in. "Hey, Andy!" they greeted, trying to cover their guilt.

"Hey!" Andy repeated, guessing something like this would have happened. He had noticed Prue getting pretty nervous as they had come into the house. He figured she had known, possibly because all the cars were in the driveway, but he felt she had known before-hand. It crossed his mind that maybe she had set it up this way, but he stubbornly pushed that thought away.

"Hey, I thought we all had plans tonight," Prue spoke up pointedly, tensing as she tried to keep calm.

"We're going to the movies…" Piper offered, noticing Andy crossing his arms and jumping to get everyone out of the house.

"This girl just found our cat for us," Phoebe added in an attempt to explain why they were late leaving. She pointed gratefully toward Aviva.

"Aviva," the adolescent introduced herself.

"Oh, Kit Kat!" Paige exclaimed, rushing forward to the cat that was purring contentedly on the arm chair where Piper had previously been sitting. "We missed you! Prue missed you too, even though she won't admit it at the moment," Paige added with a teasing look toward Prue as she scooped up their family pet. As Paige left his side Alex stuffed his hands in his pockets a little nervous, not knowing anyone else in the room. 

Prue sent a playful glare back at Paige as she dug through her purse for her money.

"Well, that's great. Is fifty bucks enough?" Prue wondered, glancing over at Aviva who stood up a little nervous as well.

"Uh, I don't- I don't want a reward. We need to talk," she explained slowly, playing with her hands.

"About what?" Prue demanded while the three other sisters and two other guys in the room all glanced over at her curiously.

"About Wicca," Aviva finished. The reaction that followed those simple words had an astounding effect on those in the room. Andy's eyes flickered to look over at Prue who had suddenly tensed and her ice blue eyes widened. Phoebe and Piper, who were sitting next to each other on the edge of the couch, glanced over at Prue in horror. Paige dropped Kit to the ground and her jaw dropped while Alex shuffled a little as he felt the tension in the room escalate. Everyone had their eyes on Prue. Andy was probing, her sisters were hoping for direction, Aviva knew she was the leader and was expectant of a response. Paige hadn't explained everything to Alex yet so he looked toward Prue hoping for an explanation.

"Uh…" Prue whispered, her eyes landing on Leo as he returned from cleaning up. "Andy Trudeau, this is Leo Wyatt. You guys chat. We'll be right back," Prue replied, pushing Andy toward Leo.

"Alex, you can go meet them too," Paige offered, pointing after Andy. Alex gave a slight nod and followed them while Phoebe and Piper grabbed Aviva and pulled her away from the guys. Leo, Andy, and Alex all shook hands in greeting before turning to watch the girls as they ushered Aviva away.

"Okay, thanks again," Piper stated gratefully, pushing Aviva toward the door as Prue and Paige crowded up next to Piper and Phoebe.

"Yeah, sorry you can't stay," Phoebe apologized hastily.

Aviva appear stunned at the sudden change in the Halliwell sisters. "I'm… not leaving. Don't you understand? I'm one of you," she tried to explain. Seeing their uncertainty she decided to prove it. Aviva pointed toward Andy at the popcorn in his hand. The sisters stared in horror as the popcorn began to pop while Andy, Leo, and Alex stared at it in confusion.

"No!" Piper shouted, throwing her hands out and freezing the room.

Aviva turned to look around curiously, with a wide smile. "Very cool," Aviva commented, walking toward the guys and looking them over in their frozen state.

"Um, wait. You didn't… she didn't… you didn't freeze," Piper stammered, staring open-mouthed at the young girl.

"Prue, why didn't she freeze?" Paige demanded in a horrified whisper.

Aviva laughed and walked back to them. "That's because I'm a witch too," she answered calmly.

"A what?" Prue asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Look, I just want to be friends," Aviva continued hopefully.

"Uh, guys. We have about twenty seconds until they unfreeze," Piper pointed out softly with a quick glance in the frozen men's direction.

"Yeah, this really just isn't a good time," Paige tried to explain to Aviva who narrowed her eyes in disappointment.

"How did you find out about us?" Phoebe interrogated with a nervous glance at the men as well.

"I'm gonna need more than twenty seconds for that," Aviva laughed, a little confused by the different reactions between the sisters.

"We really need to move things along here, Prue," Piper began again, urging Prue to get rid of the girl. Phoebe cast a look at Prue that agreed with Piper while Paige uncertainly fiddled with her necklace.

Catching the glances, Prue stepped up toward Aviva. "Okay, you need to leave here now," she explained a little harsh knowing the time limit was fast approaching.

Aviva was stunned by the sudden hostility. "What? A… why?" Aviva wondered sounding hurt.

"Because we don't know who the hell you really are, so just leave. Go, go, go," Prue insisted, pushing Aviva toward the door.

Aviva stubbornly pushed back at Prue, her temper rising. "No, I'm not leaving! I just saved your cat," Aviva snapped, turning on Prue.

"Leave now or else," Prue threatened, her patience running thin.

"Or else what?" Aviva challenged. She glared at the movie in Prue's hand causing it to burn and melt. Prue quickly dropped it before it could burn her fingers too bad. Her ice blue eyes threw daggers at Aviva while Paige, Phoebe, and Piper watched the exchange silently. Without another word Aviva turned and left, leaving the Conservatory smoking from the movie.

"Hope our fire alarm doesn't work in here…" Paige whispered mostly to herself just before time unfroze. The popcorn bag in Andy's hand burst open, throwing popcorn everywhere.

"Ah…" Alex grunted as the popcorn flew all over him.

"What the hell?" Andy wondered while the girls all looked guiltily around, acutely aware of the smoke rising around them. Piper vainly tried to wave it away as the men turned to stare at the four Halliwell sisters. They all looked confused at the sudden disappearance of Aviva.

"Hey, where did that girl go?" Leo asked curiously looking around the room.

The sisters all traded glances, silently panicking. "Uh, she just, uh…" Phoebe began trying to come up with something when Prue narrowed her eyes toward where she knew the door to be beyond the wall.  
There was a slam and Piper hastily finished Phoebe's train of thought. "Uh, left." The Halliwell sisters huddled together, leaning casually against each other and trying to figure out what to do next.

 

Aviva's Room

"Why wouldn't they accept me? You said if I brought them back their cat…" Aviva was explaining what had happened at the Halliwell Manor to Kali. Kali, listening closely, interrupted the young teenager in understanding.

"Was it the oldest? Was it Prue that sent you away?" Kali questioned calmly.

"Yes," Aviva hissed shortly. She narrowed her eyes at just the thought of Prue.

"Avoid her. She's the strongest. You must separate them. Together they are Charmed. Impenetrable," Kali explained gently to the broken down Aviva.

"But what if they don't want me?" Aviva whispered dejectedly.

"Phoebe will. In her own way she's searching for someone to relate to. Someone to share her witch craft with," Kali informed. Aviva thought the idea over, but couldn't seem to find the inspiration to believe her mentor. "What's the problem?" Kali asked, recognizing the look.

"I… I don't know," Aviva answered, shaking her head in confusion.

"You're the one who came to me, remember? You're the one who wanted… sisters…" Kali reminded Aviva coldly.

"I know. I want a family. I don't have anybody…" Aviva admitted. She trailed off with a sigh when a question popped up that had been nagging at her in the back of her mind.

"What do you get out of it? I mean, you know, you never really said…" she wondered a little reluctantly. She wasn't sure if Kali would get mad at the question or not.

"Halliwell magic is old and powerful, and I want it. And since they're new to the craft, if I'm ever going to get it, it has to be now… through you. Just do as I say, Aviva. Make Phoebe covet your power then we'll both get what we want," Kali instructed.

 

The Halliwell Manor

"It's not what you think, Andy. It's hard to explain. It's just…" Prue attempted to dodge an actual explanation. She was on the phone with Andy and had been for most of the morning as she folded up the towels taken from the dryer.

"Just another one of those things you can't explain. It's a broken record, Prue," Andy broke in, letting his frustration out. He had been trying since he'd been on the phone to get an answer out of Prue, but she kept dodging, raising his suspicions. He flipped through some files that he was meant to look over before Morris arrived.

"Look, I wanted you to stay. You have to believe me," Prue pleaded, raising her hand to her forehead as she felt a major migraine coming on.

"Then what happened? Why'd you want me to leave all of a sudden?" Andy demanded. He hated himself for being suspicious of her, but he couldn't help but feel that the cancelled dates were too common to be coincidental. There was something going on. Prue repeatedly had assured him it had nothing to do with him, but he wasn't sure he believed her  
anymore.

"I told you. Something came up. Sister stuff. I can't really go into detail without betraying someone's secret," Prue reminded him, but adding in the secret part this time.

Andy rolled his eyes. 'That's convenient,' he thought irritably. "Prue…" Andy pressed for more information.

"Look, Andy, I'm unpredictable, okay? That's just part of who I am and you have to accept that because I can't change it," she ranted, running a hand through her hair in her own frustrations.

Andy sighed and immediately felt a little guilty for making her upset. "I don't want you to change, Prue. I just… I just want to have a normal date. That's all. Is that too much to ask for?" he questioned, sitting down at his desk.

Prue was silent for a moment as she tried to decide what to do. "Alright. Let's just try again. Uh, tonight? Same time? Same place?" she suggested.

"Same movie?" Andy asked half-jokingly.

Prue picked up the scorched movie and bit her lip slightly at the question. "Uh, yeah…" she lied nervously. "Okay, so what? 8:00?" she pressed for further confirmation. "I'll be there. Bye," he agreed.

"Alright, bye," Prue said her farewells and then pressed the 'end call' button on her phone more forcefully than needed in her irritation. She slammed the phone down on the table with a shake of her head. "If I ever see that little arsonist again…" she threatened to herself, heading into the laundry room. Prue pulled another towel out of the dryer as Phoebe,

Paige, and Piper came in behind her.

"Just got done dodging Leo's questions about her. That was close…" Piper commented slightly panicky about the whole situation.

"Too close. The question is, who is she?" Prue agreed, tossing all the towels into a laundry basket that was set up on top of the washing machine next to her.

"And what does she want?" Piper added.

"And what are we going to do about her," Paige brought up as well. She shook her head and leaned against the wall as Piper jumped and sat on top of the washing machine next to the laundry basket.

"Let us not forget Aviva found Kit," Phoebe reminded her paranoid sisters mildly.

"Yeah. She's probably the one who stole the cat in the first place," Prue ranted while Phoebe rolled her eyes.

"Hello? Paranoia check…" Phoebe mocked, crossing her arms against her chest.

"I don't know… she did kind of give me an off feeling," Paige spoke up reluctantly. It had been strange. Not evil, but she sure wasn't pure good either.

"You're going to go off a 'feeling'?" Phoebe scorned, turning on Paige who glared at the comment.

"Phoebe, for all we know she could be a warlock," Prue defended her baby sister while trying to talk some sense into Phoebe. She grabbed the laundry basket and carried it out to the kitchen where she sat it on the table and began folding the clothes. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige quickly followed her, taking their usual seats. Paige on the counter, Piper in one of the chairs around the table, and Phoebe leaning against the table.

"She can't be. She didn't freeze," Piper disagreed with Prue's suggestion. Prue flashed a disapproving glare at Piper who quickly rushed to explain that that didn't necessarily mean she agreed with Phoebe. "But I don't think we should just throw out Paige's instincts. They've come in fairly handy recently."

"She said she was a witch!" Phoebe reminded them coldly.

"Okay, a bad witch maybe," Prue argued.

"Yeah, a bad witch with a really cool power. Better than mine, that's for sure," Phoebe lamented a little jealous of the teenager.

"Why are you so quick to defend her?" Prue demanded, turning on Phoebe in her frustration.

"Why are you so quick to condemn her?" Phoebe countered, just as stubbornly.

"Maybe because she knows so much about us and we know nothing about her… We've told no one that we're witches which mean she had to have been watching us for awhile to figure it out, " Paige retorted carefully.

"Then again, if she is a witch, a good witch, then it might be kinda cool considering she's the first one we've run across," Piper also pointed out. This whole situation was just so messed up.

"Exactly!" Phoebe jumped on Piper's comment.

"Guys, Paige is right. We don't know anything about her- how she got her powers, how she found out about us," Prue reiterated Paige's prior point.

"She tried to tell us, but you kicked her out," Phoebe snapped, her eyes narrowing at her eldest sister.

"Oh, please. You wanted Prue to make her leave too!" Piper defended Prue with a glare.

"She would have exposed us if I hadn't!" Prue countered harshly, casting a grateful glance toward Piper for her support.

"Prue, she's just a kid. Besides, if she is a witch, she probably feels just as alone as we do. Maybe she just needs some friends," Phoebe tried a different approach with her stubborn elder sister.

"Or maybe she's out to destroy us. It wouldn't be the first time," Prue retorted while Phoebe threw her hands in the air in defeat.

"Okay," she agreed with a roll of her eyes. Paige smiled slightly at Prue's stubbornness and Phoebe's handling of it.

"Alright, until we know who she really is, let's just steer clear, okay?" Prue suggested glancing at her sisters. Piper and Paige nodded in agreement while Phoebe nodded just to drop the subject. "I'm late for work…" Prue whined slightly, tossing the last of the folded laundry on the table and walking out.

"Me too," Piper added, following Prue out with Paige shuffling along after her. "Hey, Paige, where's my car?" Piper asked as Prue, Paige, and she left the house and headed toward the driveway.

"Uh… yeah, about that…" Paige stammered nervously. Prue stopped walking and turned to see a guilty Paige twiddling with a lock of her hair. Piper stared at her in disbelief, feeling some news that she wouldn't like was coming on. "You know I mentioned last night that I got attacked by the demon following Alex…" she trailed off nervously while her two elder sisters gave the slightest of nods, prompting her to continue. "I missed the demon and the athame hit your car…"  
"  
An athame hit my car?" Piper repeated in disbelief. Prue giggled softly at the thought, but stopped immediately when Piper turned on her with narrowed eyes.

Paige guiltily glanced at Prue, feeling slightly better until she saw Piper's murderous glare. "No need to worry! It just so happens that Alex is a mechanic so he's looking at it… He's supposed to bring it by my work later today," Paige offered before Piper could kill her. "He's even going to do it for free after I told him about the demon and everything."

"Wait, he knows about the demon?" Prue demanded her eyes narrowing.

"Well, I had to tell him after he saw me orb the athame away from him and toward the demon who decided to disappear in front of his eyes… What would you have wanted me to tell him?" Paige argued defensively.

"Is that safe?" Piper questioned doubtfully.

"I only told him enough to keep him out of trouble and to explain what he saw. He won't tell, and besides, people would just think he was crazy," Paige pointed out.

Prue was silent a moment, obviously not too happy with the thought that Alex knew about everything, but it was too late to do anything about it now. "Fine. Come on if you all want to get to work. Piper you can use my car after I get to Bucklands, just pick me up after work." Prue decided, ushering her sisters into her car. "Now, do you know what you're going to do about him? And the demon?"

"Last night in the Book of Shadows I read something about 'cloaking' an individual. It will make him invisible to the demon. Do you think you could help me read the spell? Just to make sure it works…" Paige wondered hopefully, glancing toward Piper since she knew Prue would be busy trying to get her date with Andy set up.

"Sure," Piper agreed after exchanging a few silent words with Prue, ending with both sisters in agreement of Paige's plan. Paige smiled gratefully and sat back in the seat of the car.

~PO4~

Prue, Piper, and Paige left the Halliwell Manor leaving Phoebe in the kitchen. The phone began to ring. Phoebe made her way over to it and answered. "Hello? Aviva?" she asked, hearing the voice of the young teenager on the other line.


	14. The Fifth Sister Part 2

The Fifth Sister

Aviva's High School

Phoebe waited beside the bike fence that Aviva had told her to meet her at. She glanced down at her watch, checking the time, when she caught sight of Aviva on the other side of it.

"I'm so glad that you came!" Aviva explained, coming up to meet Phoebe. Aviva threw her book bag over her shoulder and made her way along the fence toward the door. She motioned for Phoebe to follow her.

"I'm glad that you called actually," Phoebe stated, moving after Aviva.

"Bet you got a few questions, huh?" Aviva guessed cheerfully.

"A few, uh, what time does school let out?" Phoebe questioned, watching the students that must be in a physical education class. She stopped walking when Aviva did but didn't notice Aviva pushing the door open and sliding out under the lock until Aviva spoke.

"Uh, now," the teenager decided with a shrug.

"Uh, whoa. Whoa. Hey, what are you doing?" Phoebe demanded, sending Aviva a disapproving look.

"Oh, the same thing I'm sure you did a thousand times. Am I right?" Aviva asked, studying Phoebe's face for an answer.

"Well…" Phoebe allowed a little guiltily. She didn't want to seem like a bad influence.

"I am right," Aviva observed, leading Phoebe to her car. She stopped to face Phoebe after only a few steps. "Um, you didn't tell your bitch sister about this, did you?" Phoebe glared at her in disbelief.

"Hey, watch your mouth. Prue had every right to be upset about what you did," Phoebe defended her eldest sister. So they may not get along a lot of the time, but she could understand that it had ruined her date with Andy.

Aviva just laughed softly. "It's funny how you knew I was talking about Prue and not Piper or Paige," she commented, continuing to lead Phoebe to her car. Phoebe rolled her eyes at the comment but followed nonetheless. "Come on. Let's go for a ride. I'll tell you everything that you want to know," Aviva promised, tossing her book bag in the back seat and getting in the driver's seat. Phoebe made her way into the passenger's seat, intrigued by the opportunity to find out about the mysterious teenager.

 

Quake

Piper watched from the doorway that led to another part of the restaurant's seating area as Leo came in, searching for Piper. He passed her by, not seeing her in the doorway. He glanced around for her, but upon not seeing her in the immediate area he turned to head into the other seating rooms. Leo halted as he saw her watching him.

"Table for one, sir?" Piper asked politely, tapping a menu against the palm of her hand.

"Wow, you own this place?" he wondered, looking around at all the people. It was obviously very popular so it must be good.

"No, I just run it. Um… Actually I used to be the chef here," she clarified, leading him toward a nearby table.

Leo sat down and Piper handed him the menu. He smiled and gave a slight nod. "I'm impressed," Leo admitted.

"Good…" Piper began but then realized that she sounded cocky so she jumped to cover up her blunder. "I mean, good that you came here as opposed to the house and Phoebe," she corrected while Leo reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the stain samples that he'd brought. "How about those stain samples?"

"Now, I only brought the ones authentic to the era in which the Manor was built," Leo explained as Piper took them from him and sat down in the other seat.

"Great…" she allowed, absent-mindedly flipping through some of them in order to look interested. "Hungry?" Piper asked hopefully.

"Uh…" Leo started, frowning slightly since he didn't have any money, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings either.

Piper narrowed her eyes, recognizing the look. "Oh, it's on the house," she assured him.

"You're big on food, aren't you?" Leo observed with a smile.

Piper hesitated, unsure of whether that was a compliment or not. "Uh…" Piper whispered, biting her lip slightly.

"No. That's good. You know, actually, in the Mayan culture, the cook was second in the hierarchy only to the medicine man," Leo pointed out.

"Mayans? You know about Mayans? Well, you certainly are a handy man, aren't you?" Piper laughed while Leo took a look around the restaurant again.

"Uh, so, does Phoebe work here too?" Leo wondered curiously.

Piper narrowed her eyes slightly and laughed at the thought. "Phoebe? Work? No. No. No. No. No. She's probably at her gay and lesbian group right about now," Piper lied slyly.

Leo suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable at the revelation. "So what'll it be?"

~PO4~

Paige motioned for Alex to follow her into Quake where she was supposed to meet Piper to say the cloaking spell she'd gotten from the Book of Shadows.

"Are you sure it's okay to interrupt her at work?" Alex asked doubtfully, glancing around the busy restaurant. Most people he knew were frustrated when they were interrupted.

"Of course. We do it all the time," Paige replied without a second thought. She looked back at Alex and noticed he still appeared doubtful. "Well, maybe it's just a sister thing…" she allowed and Alex gave a nod of understanding.

"So, how is this supposed to work, exactly?" Alex questioned, sounding apprehensive about the plan. He hadn't really understood much of what Paige had tried to explain to him.

"All we have to do is read this and whatever that demon was that was following you won't be able to see you, hear you, much less, track you. But don't worry, it only hides you from demons trying to harm you. No one else," she explained again, coming to a halt as she saw Piper sitting with Leo. She suddenly hesitated. "Ooh… She's with Leo. Maybe we should come back later," Paige mumbled.

Alex followed her gaze to Piper and Leo, both he recognized from last night. "Are they dating?" Alex wondered curiously.

"I don't think so… I'll be right back," Paige answered, moving around behind Leo and waving in order to get Piper's attention.

Piper looked over Leo's shoulder to find Paige and she narrowed her eyes ever-so-slightly. "I'm going to go check on your food, Leo," she told him pleasantly before meeting Paige next to the kitchen where Paige was waving for Alex to rejoin her. "Now, how long is this going to take?" Piper demanded, glancing worriedly back at Leo.

"We just have to read this," Paige responded, holding up the piece of paper labeled 'The Cloaking Spell.'

"Are you sure it's going to work?" Piper asked, her eyes flickering to look over Alex.

"It's not a Power of Four spell so it should," Paige replied confidently. Piper nodded and grabbed Paige's hand, pulling her into the back of the kitchen where no one would be able to overhear them. Alex followed them a little reluctantly. "Okay, Alex… just stand there," Paige ordered, passing the spell to Piper so she could hold it. They joined hand as they usually did when casting spells and read the words.

"Goddess Be, protect our innocent from harm  
Let him not be sought or seen by those who raise alarm."

There was gust of wind that wrapped around them as they chanted the words, but it stopped as quickly as it had started. The words on the paper faded and disappeared. They stood there silent for a moment before Alex broke it.

"Uh, so, is that it?" he wondered, looking around hesitantly.

"Yeah, I suppose so… So how's my car?" Piper asked immediately, raising her eyebrows curiously.

"Fixed," Alex assured her with a half-smile.

"Okay, now that that's over and you know your precious car is fine, you can go back to Leo," Paige pushed her elder sister toward the door of the kitchen. Piper glared slightly at her little sister, feeling as if she was just being used, but she shrugged good-naturedly. Piper left to meet back with Leo while Paige looked at her watch before glancing over hopefully at Alex. "I still have 45 minutes for my lunch break. Want to eat? We get a discount," she offered, breaking into a grin when Alex accepted.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe pulled Aviva along after her as she gave the younger girl a tour of the house. "This is the dining room. This is the parlor. That's the conservatory, which is just another fancy name for family room," Phoebe explained, pointing to each room in turn.

Aviva laughed and looked eagerly around the rooms as she was shown them. "This is so totally cool. Oh, I love it here," she announced, pushing open the doors to the parlor.

"And welcome to planet Leo," Phoebe added, pointing to all of Leo's supplies that he had left beside the doors to the parlor.

Aviva smiled slightly recognizing a certain attraction behind Phoebe's eyes. "You are liking this Leo?" Aviva observed with a laugh.

"Uh, maybe," Phoebe admitted slowly while Aviva turned to look at her curiously.

"Doesn't he like you? I mean, how can he not? You're so gorgeous," Aviva pressed hopefully. She made her way to the couch and sat down while Phoebe followed her.

"Well, you see Piper and I have sort of this little competition going over him," Phoebe replied for her benefit. She sat down in a chair across from Aviva as Aviva pulled Kit up into her lap.  
"  
So just use you powers. Cast a spell on him or something. You do have powers, don't you?" Aviva wondered, tilting her head slightly to the side as she stroked Kit in her arms.

"What makes you think I do?" Phoebe questioned, seeing the opportunity to find out about Aviva.

"Please. You're a witch," Aviva answered with a good-natured roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, which brings us back to how do you know that," Phoebe pointed out, pulling her legs up into her chair. Aviva smiled slightly but looked away, reluctant to answer the question. "You promised," Phoebe reminded her.

"I have this teacher. She's great. She's like my mom. She told me," Aviva admitted carefully.

"Who is she?" Phoebe asked curiously.

"Another witch. Like a high priestess or something. She said you were the coolest and I would like you the best," Aviva elaborated a little. "She was right," she added onto the end causing Phoebe to smile and back off the interrogation.

"Well, I would like to meet her sometime," Phoebe stated.

"Yeah?" Aviva wondered. She went silent a moment as she thought over a way to follow Kali's orders. To make Phoebe covet her power. Her dark eyes flickered to the stairs and then back to Phoebe. "Is your room up there?"

Phoebe followed her eyes to the stairs. "Mm hmm," she replied.

Aviva set Kit down and stood up. "Come on. I want to share something with you. You're gonna love it. I promise," Aviva offered, heading up the stairs. After a brief moment of hesitation Phoebe got up and followed.

~PO4~

Aviva was standing in front of the mirror in Phoebe's room, reapplying her black lipstick. "I like mirrors. They never lie to you. They always tell you the truth whether you like it or not," she began as Phoebe came up behind her. Aviva turned to face Phoebe, holding up her black lipstick for her to see. "It's basic black. The color of my soul. Do you want to try it?" she offered.

"Your soul's not black," Phoebe disagreed lightly.

Aviva laughed in silent agreement. "You know the feeling that I mean. You're different, you know, you'll never want what they want. You belong on the edge. We aren't pink people, Phoebe," Aviva continued. There was a moment of silence in which Phoebe didn't know what to say. Aviva decided to change the subject. "You want to see something incredible? Better yet, you want to try it?"

"Try what?" Phoebe asked suspiciously.

"I'll show you my power if you show me yours," Aviva laughed temptingly. Phoebe hesitated a moment before agreeing.

~PO4~

Prue pushed open the door, entering the kitchen from the garage. "Anybody home?" she yelled through the house, listening closely for any sign of movement. She knew Piper was still at Quake and Paige had just dropped her off after Piper hadn't been able to pick her up. That left Phoebe. "Better not be," Prue muttered, tossing her purse on the counter after hearing nothing but silence in the Manor.

~PO4~

Aviva had lit some candles and motioned for Phoebe to sit down across from her. "Don't be afraid," she insisted, holding her hand, palm up for Phoebe to grab them.

Phoebe didn't move for a moment still unsure about trusting Aviva, but she finally gave in to her curiosity. "Okay, now what?" Phoebe asked.

"Watch," Aviva instructed before glancing down at their hands. She looked over at Phoebe's mirror and Kali appeared for a moment, unnoticed by Phoebe, but Aviva grinned.

Phoebe raised her eyebrows at Aviva's sudden happiness. "She's giving it to you too," Aviva explained.

"Who is? Giving me what?" Phoebe demanded a hint of worry in her voice.

"The power," Aviva answered cryptically. "Here. Touch this," she ordered, grabbing a plant from against the wall and sitting it in front of Phoebe. Phoebe warily touched the potted flower deciding to humor Aviva. To her surprise it immediately began to grow. "It's the power of heat. Your hand is like the sun."

"Whoa…" Phoebe whispered, pulling her hand away and staring at it, impressed.

"That's pretty cool, huh?" Aviva stated triumphantly.

As she spoke the door to Phoebe's room opened and Prue stuck her head in. "Phoebe are you…" the eldest Halliwell trailed off when she spotted Aviva in front of Phoebe and candles lit. It didn't take much to know what they were doing and she immediately narrowed her eyes feeling her anger rise.

"Prue…" Phoebe greeted guiltily, jumping to her feet. Aviva stood up as well, but she shot Prue a dangerous glare, not in the least bit sorry.

"What are you doing?" Prue demanded turning to Phoebe.

Phoebe started to explain but was broken off by Aviva. "Get out. This is her room," she snapped childishly, pointing at the door. Prue narrowed her eyes even more at the Aviva's disrespect.

"Aviva!" Phoebe scolded, trying to get around to explaining that it was okay of Prue to come in.

"No. She treats you worse than my Aunt treats me. It's not right," Aviva argued, her eyes never leaving Prue.

"It's okay. Relax," Phoebe tried again, turning to apologize to Prue who was silently listening to Aviva's accusations. The door bell could be heard ringing through the house and with a final look at Phoebe and Aviva, Prue disappeared to answer it. Phoebe glared at Aviva and trudged reluctantly after Prue to explain. Aviva, fuming, knelt down beside the candles and blew them out.

Prue opened the front door to find Andy ready for their date.

"Chianti, Body Heat…. What do you think?" he wondered, holding up the bottle so that Prue could read the label.

She hesitated as he came in but was about to say something when Phoebe came running down the stairs to explain what was going on. "Prue! I can explain!" Phoebe called, running through the house, but upon seeing Andy, pulled abruptly to a halt. "Oh no!" she gasped, her eyes widening.

"Oh no…" Andy repeated as Prue turned back to face him. "Let me guess… rain check?"

"Andy…" Prue pleaded, desperately trying to come up with a way to fix this.

"Prue this is… this is getting ridiculous," he replied, leaning against the door. Andy looked behind her to see Aviva come up next to Phoebe, who still looked extremely guilty.

"I know. Believe me. You have every right to be upset, and I can't talk about it right now, but I will. I promise. Tomorrow? Quake? 1:00? Please…" she suggested hopefully. It wouldn't be in the house so there shouldn't be sister interruptions and Piper would make sure everything would run smoothly. She needed this.

Andy looked into her eyes and gave the slightest of nods. "Okay. Tomorrow. 1:00," he agreed. Andy waved to Phoebe who hesitantly waved back before he turned and left. Prue shut the door behind him and spun around, pushing past Phoebe in an effort to get away from her little sister and the teenager.

"I am so sorry. I totally forgot," Phoebe immediately apologized, following Prue down the hall before Prue spun on her younger sister.

"What the hell is she doing here? What's the matter with you?" Prue snapped, letting her frustration out on Phoebe. She regretted it as soon as she said it, but before even Phoebe could respond Aviva once again turned against her.

"This is her house too, okay? She can do whatever she wants," Aviva retorted angrily.

"Aviva!" Phoebe scolded, warning her to be quiet before turning back to Prue. "She's not what you think she is…" she tried to explain.

"She doesn't understand, Phoebe. She'll never understand," Aviva countered, bringing Phoebe's attention back to her. Aviva turned and left without a backward glance, leaving Prue in a silent fury and Phoebe irritated.

 

Aviva's Room

Aviva had immediately summoned Kali as soon as she had gotten home. She was sitting down in front of the mirror as usual explaining what had happened to her mentor.

"If there were no Prue, Phoebe would be with us now," Kali commented after hearing Aviva out.

"I hate her and I wish that she were dead," Aviva fumed, clenching and unclenching her fists.

Outside the door of her room, Aunt Jackie knocked and her voice drifted through. "Aviva? What's going on? Who's in there with you?" Aunt Jackie demanded, pushing open the door and walking in. "You skipped school today and I want to know why."

Aviva jumped up and pointed toward the door. "Get out of my room!" Aviva screamed at her Aunt who became defensive.

"How dare you speak to me in that tone!" she began scolding but stopped as she looked around and saw all the candles and everything Aviva used to summon Kali. "What's going on here?" Aunt Jackie interrogated.  
"I said, get out of my room. Leave me alone or else…" Aviva yelled, throwing her hand out at her Aunt. Kali's reflection in the mirror was now dark flames instead of the soft blue as she waved her hand, granting Aviva a more devastating version of her power. As Aviva threw out her hand a fireball shot out and caught the hem of her Aunt's dress. Her Aunt started slapping at the flames with a jacket trying to smother them before they became too dangerous. "Aunt Jackie?" Aviva asked in horror at what she had just done. Aunt Jackie didn't seem to hear her as she made her way out of the room, hoping to reach the bathroom where she could douse the flames. Instead she hit the wall and lost her balance, falling down the stairs. "Oh my god!" Aviva panicked running after her Aunt. "Aunt Jackie!" she screamed, desperately running down the stairs and standing over her motionless Aunt.

~PO4~

The paramedics took Aunt Jackie away on a stretcher and after Aviva gave the cops her statement she sneaked back up the stairs to her room. She went back to Kali, who was still in the mirror waiting for Aviva's return.

"What did you tell the police?" Kali demanded as soon as Aviva had sat down in front of the mirror.

"That the candle caught her dress on fire and she fell down the stairs. Oh my god. What have I done? I didn't mean to hurt her," Aviva cried, beginning to panic at what she had done.

"Your powers are growing," Kali observed with a half-smile.

"I know, but as soon as Aunt Jackie wakes up she'll tell them what really happened. I've got to get out of here," Aviva decided, jumping to her feet and looking around for necessities.

"No!" Kali ordered, leaving no room for discussion.

"Why not?" Aviva demanded, trying to take deep steadying breaths to calm herself.

"You must go back to the Halliwells. You must complete what you have started," Kali explained, softening her voice which put Aviva a bit more at ease.

"But how?" she asked.

"Paige won't stop you and Phoebe is already an ally. Piper is undecided. Only Prue stands in our way. You must take Prue's place in the Power of Four without raising Piper's suspicion. If she is alerted Prue will be untouchable," Kali replied carefully. Aviva frowned, not too keen to go back anymore. "Don't disappoint me, Aviva. You said you wanted a family and now you'll have one."

 

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe poured the shaken Aviva a cup of tea as soon as she had shown up on the doorstep. Piper was on the phone in the next room checking Aviva's story about her Aunt being in the hospital while Prue and Paige leaned against the table in the kitchen watching Aviva carefully.

"Thanks," Aviva whispered taking the cup of tea that Phoebe handed her.

"You poor thing. You're shivering," Phoebe commented sounding worried about her friend.

"I'm okay," Aviva assured Phoebe before turning to Prue. "I know that you don't like me and that the last thing you want to do is help me, but I don't know where else to turn. I don't have anybody else," she explained after taking a large sip from the cup.

Piper came in from the foyer and dropped the phone back on the counter. "She's telling the truth. Her Aunt was admitted to the hospital," Piper confirmed Aviva's story, glancing toward Prue and Paige who both gave a slight nod.

"How is she? Is she okay?" Aviva demanded, holding her breath for an answer.

"She has a broken arm and a concussion," Piper answered sympathetically.

"What happened again?" Paige questioned curiously.

"I-I think she fell. I don't really know… I-I heard her scream, and- and then I found her on the floor and I called 911," Aviva stammered, gripping the cup in her hand tightly. "I promise if you just let me spend the night and get some sleep, I'll tell you everything you want to know about me tomorrow," she promised again looking straight at Prue, who so far had been silent.

Piper, sensing Prue's internal debate, spoke up. "She can't stay alone," she told her softly and Prue again nodded in agreement.

"She can sleep in my room," Phoebe, also, suggested before Prue had a chance to actually say anything.

"No magic," Prue told Aviva sternly, watching for a hint of a lie in Aviva's eyes.

"I swear," Aviva agreed.

~PO4~

Aviva stayed awake long after she knew Phoebe was asleep, waiting on Kali to let her know Prue was alone and asleep. The last time she had passed by Prue's room, Piper was with the eldest Halliwell and didn't appear in any hurry to leave. She wondered if Piper was already suspicious of her, but the thought was fleeting since she hadn't done anything to sway Piper one way or another. Finally, Phoebe's mirror glowed the familiar soft blue and Aviva sat up in her make-shift bed expectantly.

"Now… is the time," Kali announced softly, her voice carrying easily through the silent room to Aviva. Aviva carefully and quietly exited Phoebe's room and walked down the hallway where she knew Prue's room was. She breathed a bit easier as she heard no stirring around the Manor. She opened the door and smiled as she saw Prue asleep, alone, and defenseless. It was going to be easy. Aviva held her hand out, preparing to use a fire ball when someone's voice startled her and she hastily closed the door.

"What are you doing?" Piper demanded suspiciously, her eyes narrowed at the teenager.

"Um… I was just looking for the bathroom," Aviva lied carefully. Kali had told her that Piper and Prue were really close, but she had, also, found out that Piper was very trusting and her lie was easily believable.

"Oh, it's down the hall to the right," Piper directed, pointing behind her.

"Great. Thanks. Good night," Aviva wished and had no choice but to head in that direction. She also knew she couldn't afford to attack Prue this night or she risked Piper getting suspicious. Piper watched her leave and then opened the door to Prue's room carefully. She was relieved to find that Prue was perfectly fine after finding Aviva in her room. With a quick glance at where Aviva had disappeared, Piper moved farther down the hall to Paige's room where she shook her baby sister awake.

"Ugh… Piper? What do you want?" Paige mumbled, rolling over in the bed to look up at her elder sister, none-too-pleased at having been awoken.

"Can you stay home tomorrow?" Piper asked in a whisper, her eyes flickering to the door and back again in worry.

"Why?" Paige questioned, groggily sitting up at seeing the worry in Piper's eyes.

"I want someone other than Phoebe around to keep an eye on Aviva. I just caught her in Prue's room. She said she was just looking for the bathroom, but I'm not so sure," Piper explained while Paige's eyes widened slightly.

"Is Prue okay?" Paige demanded, her eyebrows furrowing nervously.

"Yeah, but I'm going to stay up just in case," Piper reassured the youngest Halliwell.

"Good idea. Don't worry too much. I'll stay home tomorrow. I have to look for that demon some more in the Book of Shadows anyways," Paige agreed, falling back down amongst her pillows and blankets.

"Thanks, good night," Piper whispered, leaving Paige's room and re-entering Prue's room where she sat in the chair in the corner, preparing for a long night without sleep.

~PO4~

The next morning Prue found Phoebe on a ladder changing the light bulb in one of the lamps in the dining room. Prue helpfully passed her little sister the light bulb as she spoke.

"I'm going to the hospital to see her Aunt in an hour. I'll be back, okay?" Phoebe gave her eldest sister a slight nod as Leo passed by her, heading into the kitchen and nearly hitting Aviva with the door.

"Whoa, sorry. Didn't know you there," Leo apologized quickly. Phoebe flipped the light on and stepped off the ladder to meet Aviva.

"That's okay," Aviva answered Leo politely and Leo continued on.

"Aviva, I'm going to go see your Aunt. Let her know where you are. We'll talk when I get back, okay?" Prue explained as Aviva turned to look at her.

A flash of worry shot through her eyes, but she quickly hid before either of the Halliwells noticed. "Yeah, sure. Tell her I love her," Aviva replied with a slight nod.

"Okay," Prue agreed, grabbing her jacket and heading toward the front door leaving Phoebe with Aviva.

"Come on. Let's get something to eat," Phoebe suggested, leading Aviva into the kitchen for breakfast, almost running into Paige who was holding the Book of Shadows and making her way toward the stairs. "Paige! What are you doing? Leo just walked through," Phoebe hissed, running forward to cover up the big book.

"Oh, please, Phoebe. I hid it when he walked through. Calm down," Paige insisted with a laugh at her sister. "By the way, Piper didn't make breakfast for us so there's some cereal in the top cabinet," she added as she left the kitchen.

Phoebe watched her baby sister leave with a frown before remembering Aviva and breakfast. "Sorry you don't get Piper's famous breakfast cooking, but maybe next time," Phoebe apologized jokingly. Aviva smiled and shrugged indifferently.

Bay General Hospital

Prue was finally admitted to Aunt Jackie's room after explaining that she was taking care of Aviva. The news reached Aunt Jackie who allowed the eldest Halliwell in and sat up with interest when Prue finally entered and sat down in the chair next to Aunt Jackie.

"I don't understand. Why is Aviva staying with you? I don't even know who you are," Aunt Jackie stated suspiciously.

"Um, actually we just met your niece. We lost our cat and she found it for us," Prue explained again while Aunt Jackie nodded in understanding, several events clicking together for her.

"Oh, that's what she was hiding," Aunt Jackie realized.

Prue cocked her head in confusion. "Hiding?" she pressed.

"In the closet. She wouldn't let me go anywhere near it. You're lucky she didn't sacrifice the poor thing," Aunt Jackie replied with a roll of her eyes at her niece's habits. At least that's what she got from all the alters, candles, and other black magic artifacts.

"I'm sorry?" Prue questioned narrowing her eyes uncertainly. Aviva had never set well with Prue though she might be a little prejudiced against the teenager for ruining her dates with Andy, but maybe there really was more going on.

Aunt Jackie looked around the room before leaning closer to Prue. "She's a strange kid. Very troubled. Into all sorts of weird stuff. Black magic, voodoo. God knows what else. No wonder she doesn't have any friends," Aunt Jackie elaborated, lowering her voice so only Prue would be able to hear her.

"What makes you think she's into black magic?" Prue wondered and Aunt Jackie hesitated a moment before answering.

"You should see her room. It seems like every time I pass by there she's in there… chanting or something. Sometimes, I swear, I even hear other voices. I know she's not happy there. I'm only taking care of her until her mom gets out of rehab."

Prue was silent a moment, processing what Aunt Jackie had told her. Maybe something in Aviva's room would lighten the mystery behind the teenager. "Uh, do you mind if I stop by your place and pick up some things for Aviva?" Prue asked carefully.

"No," Aunt Jackie allowed with a shake of her head.

"Great, thanks. Feel better," Prue wished, grabbing her jacket and leaving the room.

 

Quake

Piper slammed her cell phone down next to her purse in the kitchen after trying to call Prue for the fifth time. Giving up on the phone she tried to relax enough to follow Prue's telepathic connection, but felt as if she was being blocked. Damn it, Prue! What the hell is the point of having that power if you block me? And what am I supposed to tell Andy? She fumed, more from sympathy at Prue and Andy's deteriorating relationship than from anger at Prue. Piper ran a hand through her hair and made her way toward where Andy was waiting, no longer able to put it off. "Andy, I can't seem to get a hold of Prue. I know she was going to the hospital…" Piper vainly tried to cover for her eldest sister, but Andy was already getting to his feet.

"That's alright, Piper. Thanks for trying," he interrupted her, his irritation showing in his every movement. Andy pulled his wallet out and gave her cash for the drink that was on the table.

Piper hesitantly took it, biting her lip. "I'm sure there's a perfectly good…" she began again, but was cut off by Andy a second time.

"Explanation? Wanna bet?" Andy guessed, turning and hastily leaving the restaurant.

Oh, Prue, I'm so sorry… Piper thought apprehensively, watching Andy leave.

Aviva's Room

Prue hesitantly walked into Aviva's room and glanced around at the teenager's dark taste. She stopped just inside the room, unsure of where to start until her eyes focused on the closet. Aunt Jackie had said she hadn't been allowed near to closet so it was as good a place to start as any. Inside she found everything used to summon Kali, hastily dumped in the middle. Aviva must have left in a hurry and hadn't even bothered to hide them. Prue narrowed her eyes trying to think of who Aviva would summon. As she pondered the

thought she felt eyes upon her as Kali appeared in dark flames of the mirror and disappeared as soon as Prue spun toward the eerie feeling. Her blue eyes flickered from the mirror to the end of Aviva's diary just visible from under the bed. Prue picked it up and flipped through a few pages.

"Kali says we're close to taking over the Halliwell Coven. I hate lying to them," Prue read. She stopped and, thinking quickly, dropped Aviva's diary on the bed and pulled her phone out, dialing her home number.

"Hello?" Phoebe answered.

"Uh, Phoebe, it's me," Prue replied, nervously running a hand through her dark hair.

 

~PO4~

"Prue? Where are you?" Phoebe asked, getting up from the chair she was in. She moved through the parlor to the other end where she could have a bit more of a private conversation. Aviva, who had been reading a magazine, glanced up curiously after hearing Prue's name. Feigning interest in the magazine she strained to hear the conversation. Paige, also, looked up at hearing Prue's name, her brown eyes clouded with worry. "Piper called. She says you were supposed to meet Andy at Quake."

~PO4~

Prue closed her eyes and sighed deeply in realization. Damn. She thought before quickly pushing the thoughts of Andy out of her head. The more important thing at the moment was the demon. Then she could deal with her love life… what was left of it anyways. "Um, listen, we have a bigger problem to deal with. Have Paige call Piper and tell her to come home. I'll- I'll explain it to you guys later," Prue ordered, leaving Aviva's room and from there the apartment. "And Phoebe, whatever you do, don't let Aviva out of your sight. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Phoebe answered with a half-smile in Aviva's direction. "Paige, Prue wants you to call Piper and tell her to come home," she added as an afterthought to her younger sister who was listening intently. Paige immediately jumped to her feet and ran toward her room and her cell phone.

"Alright, bye," Prue responded, quickly closing her phone and stuffing it in her jacket pocket. As Prue closed the door behind her, Kali appeared in the mirror, surrounded by dark flames, and obviously having heard everything Prue had said.

~PO4~

Phoebe turned to face Aviva as soon as she had hung up with Prue. "Prue's on her way home. We can have our little chat when she gets here," Phoebe explained cheerfully.

Aviva realized that she needed to talk to Kali or she wouldn't know what to say. She quickly thought of an excuse to get to a secluded room. "Yeah, okay," Aviva agreed, putting the magazine down on the table in front of her and standing up. "Mind if I go upstairs and lay down? I'm- I'm not feeling real well," she lied.

"Sure, go ahead," Phoebe allowed. Aviva nodded gratefully and made it up the stairs easily enough.

~PO4~

In Phoebe's room she grabbed her book bag and threw it over her shoulder before sneaking into Prue's room across the hall. Paige came through the hall in time to notice the door to Prue's room close. She hesitated a moment but decided Prue must have already come in and would join them downstairs in a few moments. She passed by, heading for the stairs.

~PO4~

Phoebe bent down by the front door to pick up some papers that had fallen off the table by a gust of wind when she had opened the door. Leo was standing in the doorway of the Foyer, running his hand over the trim.  
"  
This last coat of stain's gotta dry," Leo explained glancing over at Phoebe who looked up curiously. "I'm, uh, heading over to Filmore's in a few minutes to do an estimate," he added as she took a few steps toward him.

"Wait, you're finished already?" she asked, sounding disappointed.

"Yeah, I'll be back tomorrow to make sure everybody's happy with my work," Leo replied with a slight smile. He waited a moment, remembering what Piper had told him about Phoebe having a gay and lesbian group and Aviva being around a lot… In his train of thought he hadn't realized he was staring at Phoebe until she shifted, a little uncomfortable.

"What?" Phoebe pressed.

"Just- Just out of curiosity, um… are you and Aviva…" he began but trailed off, deciding it was too awkward a question, especially when Phoebe raised her eyebrows in confusion. "I mean, Piper said that…" Leo continued, but again stopped nervously.

"Piper said what?" Phoebe demanded, her eyes narrowing.

"Uh. Nothing… I think I need some water," Leo decided, hastily turning to leave into the Kitchen.

~PO4~

Upstairs, Aviva finished lighting the candles in Prue's room and forced herself to relax and summon Kali to the mirror in front of her.

~PO4~

Phoebe followed Leo, determined to find out what Piper had said about her. Most likely it was some kind of lie that Piper had thought up to turn Leo's interest away from her.

"Wait, Leo. What did Piper say to you?" Phoebe questioned again.

Leo hesitated and backed up a step. "Uh, it doesn't matter really… forget it," Leo assured her, turning to the sink and washing his hands.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes in silent understanding. She didn't know the specifics, but she knew enough for her lie to pass. "Well, whatever she said, you should probably take it with a grain of salt, 'cuz sometimes her medication can make her say the strangest things! But don't worry, her shrinks are on it," Phoebe lied casually.

"Shrinks?" Leo asked, turning away nervously. Phoebe gave a sad nod, but chuckled behind his back.

"Phoebe, I called Piper. She's on her way now," Paige announced, joining her sister and Leo in the kitchen.

"Good. Thanks, Paigey," Phoebe replied, before her eyes caught sight of Aviva's jacket. She reached out to take it, realizing Aviva might want it if she wasn't feeling too well. "Can you give…" she trailed off as she picked it up and was thrown into a premonition.  
P  
rue opens the door to her room to find Aviva sitting in the middle of the floor surrounded by candles. Before Prue could say anything, Aviva threw a fireball at her, that in Prue's surprise, she was unable to block.  
Paige grabbed hold of Phoebe as her sister came out of the premonition and swayed slightly on her feet.

"Oh my god… Aviva," Phoebe whispered, holding on tightly to Paige who was patiently waiting for an explanation of what Phoebe had seen.

Leo looked out the window when he heard a car door close. "Prue's home," he announced.

"Wait… she's not home yet?" Paige demanded, forgetting all about Phoebe's premonition. She looked around and knew there was only one other person in the house… Aviva. Why was she in Prue's room? She got her answer when Phoebe pulled out of Paige's grip and rushed toward the stairs.

"Oh, no," Phoebe gasped, taking off, leaving a stunned Leo and a horrified Paige behind.

~PO4~

Aviva finished setting up the candles, but this time it wasn't for summoning. Kali had told her what to do. When Prue opened the door, to kill her. That was her mission. Aviva smiled as she heard the footsteps coming up the stairs. She heard them stop outside Prue's door and knew it was her. She pulled her hand back ready to release the fireball. The door opened and she shot her hand out, the fireball flying toward Phoebe, who Aviva hadn't realized wasn't Prue. There was a swirl of orbs just before the door opened, revealing Paige.

"Phoebe, wait!" she screamed, seeing the fireball. Phoebe ran in only to feel herself be pushed to the side by Paige, just barely missing the fireball that caught Paige on the arm.

Paige dropped to the ground, pain exploding in her arm.

"Aviva! What the hell are you doing?!" Phoebe yelled, grabbing hold of Paige, just barely keeping her from dropping completely to the ground.

Aviva stared, horrified at her mistake, acutely aware she could have killed Paige, but more importantly to her, Phoebe. "Phoebe… I'm sorry," Aviva whispered, bolting out of the room. Phoebe was left, gently pulling Paige to her feet and trying to lead her down the stairs where they could get some ice.

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe had managed to lead Paige to the kitchen where Prue immediately pulled out a chair for her baby sister to sit down in while Piper ran to get the first aid kit. Leo, concerned for the youngest Halliwell as well, found an ice pack in the freezer and brought it over.

"Maybe we should take you to the hospital," Piper fretted as she came back in with some aloe vera and some bandages.

"It'll be fine. It just scared me a little," Paige disagreed taking the ice pack from Leo while Prue opened the new bottle of aloe.

"Well, how did it happen anyways?" Leo questioned.

Phoebe and Paige exchanged a glance, that Piper and Prue didn't miss, silently agreeing for Phoebe to come up with the story. "Uh, candles. Aviva had some candles lit and I guess the sweater got too close. When it caught fire, Paige tried to put it out and Aviva just went running out of the house," Phoebe explained after only a moment's hesitation.

"It sure caught fire fast," Leo commented with a sigh.

The elder Halliwell sisters recognized there was more to the story and Prue jumped to get Leo out of the house so they could talk. She had to tell them about what she found in Aviva's room, as well. "Um, Leo, we got this. We wouldn't want you to be late for that estimate," Prue responded slyly.

"Are you sure? I don't mind," Leo replied.

"No, Prue's right," Phoebe agreed.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Go on and find out how much money we owe you," Paige offered, half-jokingly, causing her sisters to smile slightly at her humor.

"Okay. I'll stop by later to see how you're doing," Leo promised.

"Great…" Piper and Phoebe spoke at the same time, despite the fact that neither of them were hurt. They both turned to watch Leo leave before turning back to Paige.

"Okay, so how did this happen?" Prue demanded as soon as Leo was out of ear shot. Piper leaned forward expectantly while Phoebe and Paige exchanged another glance.

"I had a premonition… that Aviva was going to hurt you, so I tried to stop her," Phoebe explained her side of the story before glancing at Paige who took a deep breath.

"I went up to get my cell phone to call Piper and when I was leaving I saw your door close. I thought you'd already gotten home and didn't think twice about it until Leo mentioned that you had just pulled up. Phoebe went running out after her premonition and I guessed her premonition had something to do with Aviva being in there so I orbed up and pushed Phoebe away from the fire ball before it hit her," Paige finished her side of the story. 

Phoebe rolled her eyes and lightly hit the top of her head with her hand. "I should have listened to you, Prue. You were right about Aviva. She's evil," Phoebe lamented with a sigh.

Prue shook her head quickly in disagreement. "No, actually, she's not. But she is being used by an evil spirit and I think I know which one so come on!" Prue ordered heading for the attic, pulling a worried Piper after her with Phoebe and Paige hastily following.

 

Aviva's Room

Aviva was running back and forth from one side of the room to the other, shoving clothes and important items into her book bag. She ran toward her closet but she was sidetracked by the soft blue glow in her mirror that announced the arrival of Kali.

"Where are you going, Aviva?" Kali demanded, her voice harsh with disapproval.

"Go away. I don't want anything to do with you. I don't want to be a witch anymore," Aviva snapped, fighting to hold back the tears that welled in her eyes.

"But you haven't finished what we've started," Kali pointed out slowly.

"But I'm hurting people. Don't you understand? First Aunt Jackie, now Paige. I have to leave," Aviva argued, turning to grab her bag. She had enough, she would just leave.

"Aren't you going to say good-bye first?" Kali asked, causing Aviva to hesitate. Aviva turned back to face Kali who elaborated. "Touch the mirror, Aviva. It's okay. I'm not upset. Touch the mirror and I'll go away too," she promised. Aviva hesitated another moment before holding her hands out and barely touching the mirror. Aviva's body stiffened as Kali possessed Aviva, her eyes glowing red instead of the usual dark brown. "Hello… Aviva." Aviva (Kali) spoke, her voice deepening.

The Halliwell Manor

"Aviva's diary mentioned that she summoned someone named Kali," Prue was explaining as the sisters made their way up the steps to the attic.

"Kali? I'm pretty sure I saw her in the book when I was looking for the stalker demon," Paige announced, pushing past her older sisters and running to the Book of Shadows where she started flipping through the pages. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe moved around her. Phoebe and Piper on her left with Prue on her right.

"There, there," Piper motioned to the page in front of them. "An evil sorceress cursed into her own dimension. She appears in reflections and has the power to possess…" she read quickly.

"… innocents and use them as pawns to steal a witch's power," Prue finished with a slight nod.

"Wait. I don't understand," Piper replied immediately.

"Yeah, she's what? Using Aviva to try and turn us into bad witches?" Paige added, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Does it say anything about how to get rid of her?" Phoebe asked, reading over the page on Kali again.

"Uh, yeah. 'To get rid of her: shatter her reflection.' However the hell we do that…" Prue mumbled, slamming the book shut and passing it to Piper who took it from her. The four sisters froze when they heard the attic door slam. They spun around to find Aviva standing in the doorway.

"Aviva?" Phoebe called uncertainly.

"Hello, Phoebe. How's your sister?" Aviva (Kali) wondered without sympathy. Her voice switched from Aviva's to Kali's, letting the Halliwells know of the possession.

"You're not Aviva," Phoebe stated with a frown.

"You're not kidding," Aviva (Kali) mocked, pulling back her arm and tossing a fireball at the sisters. Paige orbed out allowing Prue to push Phoebe and Piper to the left while she jumped back to the right. The fireball hit the pedestal behind them and Paige reappeared next to Prue, who reached out and pulled her baby sister behind her.

"Phoebe! Help me!" Aviva screamed, temporarily breaking through Kali's possession to beg for help. Suddenly she shook her head and Kali was back in control. "Never mind,"

Aviva (Kali) muttered, tossing a fireball at Piper and Phoebe.

"Fireball!" Paige screamed, the fireball orbed out just before hitting the two Halliwells and Paige threw it into the mannequin behind them.

Aviva (Kali) turned to face Prue and Paige. Her eyes focused on Paige, but Prue immediately stood in front of her, blocking any attack on Paige. Aviva (Kali) laughed, not expecting any less from the eldest Halliwell. 

"My powers are greater than yours, Prue. It's only a matter of time," Aviva (Kali) warned Prue, taking a few threatening steps forward.

"Time! Piper that's it!" Phoebe shouted her revelation, gaining Aviva's (Kali's) attention toward them. "Freeze her!" Phoebe ordered, but Piper glanced at her doubtfully.

"Aviva doesn't freeze," Piper reminded her. Aviva (Kali), deciding they weren't the threat, turned back to Prue and Paige.

"Yeah, but Kali will!" Phoebe finished. Aviva (Kali) pulled her hand back preparing to throw a fireball at Prue when Piper desperately threw her hands out, freezing the room.

"No!" Kali screamed as Aviva's body fell to the floor away from the frozen Kali. The Halliwell sisters looked desperately for something to get rid of Kali with.

Piper glanced behind her and pulled the sheet off an old mirror. "Prue! The mirror! Get her to the mirror!" Piper ordered. Prue nodded and narrowed her eyes at Kali who was sent flying forward into the mirror. Instead of the mirror shattering at the impact, it sucked her back in while Phoebe grabbed an old broom and shattered it.

"No!" Kali screamed, disappearing in the pieces of shattered mirror.

The silence that followed between the sisters was deafening until finally Paige spoke up. "So, uh, which one of us gets the seven years of bad luck?" Paige asked, trying to lighten the mood since everyone was looking extremely grim at the situation.

~PO4~

"Thanks for the dress," Aviva spoke up gratefully as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Phoebe came up behind her holding Kit in her arms. "No problem. It's Prue's," Phoebe laughed, sitting Kit down on the dresser in her room. "All set?"

"Yeah, I'm all set," Aviva whispered, grabbing her jacket off the door.

"You okay?" Phoebe asked gently, recognizing a sad and worried look behind Aviva's dark eyes.

"I don't think, uh, looking into a mirror is ever going to be the same," Aviva answered with a deep sigh. She slowly turned around to face Phoebe who was watching her closely.

"Yeah, well, the demon's gone, Aviva, forever," Phoebe promised softly.

"Yeah, well, unfortunately all the other ones remain. It's so hard," Aviva admitted.

"Oh, I know. It was hard for me too when I was your age," Phoebe agreed in understanding.

"Yeah?" Aviva pressed.

"Are you kidding? These are the hardest years of your life. The one thing I learned is you just gotta be yourself," Phoebe assured her as she sat down on the edge of her bed.

Aviva slipped her jacket on and laughed mirthlessly. "Easy for you to say. What if yourself sucks?" Aviva muttered, obviously thinking about herself.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that," Phoebe answered causing Aviva to stare at her in disbelief. "No . Aviva, I'm serious. You are a great kid. I could totally see us hanging out together in school. A couple of trouble makers," Phoebe joked and succeeded in pulling a soft laugh from Aviva.

"I'm going to miss being a witch. Having powers… and having sisters," she admitted.

"Yeah, well, you've got your mom. And your Aunt will be home from the hospital tomorrow," Phoebe soothed before getting up and changing the subject. "Now remember, do not tell anyone about we Halliwell sisters, right? It's just our little secret."

"I promise," Aviva laughed.

"Okay," Phoebe whispered, leading Aviva out of her room.

~PO4~

Paige was lying on the bed in her room when her phone ringing startled her out of her reverie. She looked at the number and recognized it as Alex's.

"Hey," she answered cheerfully, rolling over onto her stomach.

"Hey. Anything interesting happening at your house?" Alex asked and Paige couldn't help but smile at the emphasis he put on the word 'interesting.'

"Not right now, you?" Paige joked, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger.

"No, I'm not getting jumped by invisible demons currently," he replied. "It actually makes it kind of boring."

"I guess my spell worked then… which is a good thing since I still haven't found out who the demon was," Paige responded lightly. She was glad the spell worked, but frustrated that she couldn't find a demon that matched what she knew in the Book of Shadows.

"Are we still up for tonight?" Alex asked curiously.

"Uh, I'm not sure. We might need to have a sister night," Paige answered hesitantly. If Prue's talk with Andy didn't go well, no sister was leaving the house this night. Family was the most important thing to Halliwells…Then again, maybe it was just a sister thing. "I'll call you," Paige promised softly.

"Okay. Talk to you soon. Bye," Alex hung up, leaving Paige to wonder about how Prue and Andy's chat was going.

Outside Andy's Apartment

Prue waited in her car nervously fiddling with her keys in her hands as she watched for Andy's car. Her eyes kept flicking up to look in the rear view mirror until finally Andy's car came over the small hill. As he pulled his car up to stop behind her, she slowly stepped out to meet him. Andy's eyes focused on her as he exited his car and slammed the door closed behind him.

"Hey…" Prue greeted hesitantly, recognizing his anger that was undoubtedly because of her.

"Hey," Andy repeated sharply. He didn't stop to talk to her, but walked around her heading straight for his apartment.

Prue flinched at his tone, which he missed, but followed after him. "Uh, can we talk?" she asked hopefully after following him for a few steps.

"Is there really anything to talk about?" Andy demanded, pulling his keys out of his pocket as he made his way to the steps that would lead him to the front door.

"Andy…" Prue pleaded in desperation. Andy spun to face her and she hesitated again when she met his eyes. She saw it there: his frustration. She knew immediately her apology wasn't going to be enough. She'd known before, but she had also gotten her hopes up that maybe it would work out. Seeing his eyes, her hopes were crushed as she knew she couldn't tell him what he wanted to know. "I'm sorry…" Prue whispered, looking down at her hands.

"So am I!" Andy replied harshly.

"What do you mean by that?" Prue questioned, her voice a little cold in her frustration. It wasn't her fault she had to run around and save innocents. It wasn't her fault she had three sisters and one of them was always in the way. It wasn't her fault she was a witch. It wasn't her fault she couldn't give him the date he desired. But he didn't know that… and that was her fault. Nonetheless, she crossed her harms defensively.

"Come on, Prue! Who're we kidding? I mean, let's face it. One of us is obviously more interested in this relationship than the other," Andy answered, letting out his thoughts on the situation.

Prue shook her head in disbelief. How could he think she didn't care? "That's not true," she defended herself only to have Andy cut her off.

"Isn't it? Then how come I'm always the one left standing there looking like a jerk?" Andy demanded. He met her eyes and at once saw the conflict that always appeared whenever he brought up her absences, but this time he couldn't let her off. Their relationship wouldn't work with secrets. He had to know. He wanted to know. And then, maybe he could help her.

"I can explain," Prue began as she always did.

Andy knew at once she would hole up as usual. "No you can't… Or you won't," Andy replied, turning away from her. He made his way up the steps, but spun around at the top back to face her. He threw his jacket against the rails in his frustration. He couldn't leave just like that… not her. "Damn it, Prue! I still love you. I- I'm not saying you have to explain it all to me, Prue. That's your prerogative," his voice was softer as he gave her another chance to tell him. Prue looked away for a moment before walking up the steps to meet him, not sure what she should do. "All I'm saying is…" Andy paused, trying to find the words. "It hurts that you don't trust me enough."

"I do trust you, Andy," Prue spoke up immediately, hoping he would recognize the sincerity in her voice. He looked at her in disbelief prompting Prue to give a bit more. She sighed softly before continuing. "It has nothing to do with you… It's just… It's just something I'm not sure if I can ever share with anybody," she tried to explain carefully. Prue knew he wouldn't be satisfied with that answer, but she hoped he would at least believe it had nothing to do with him. He deserved that at the least.

"Well, I hope that's not true for your sake. All I know is there's nothing more I can say or do to reassure you, that I'm there for you," Andy responded softly. He turned away from Prue to grab his jacket and finish his advance up the stairs.

Prue watched him go, her world falling apart around her. She knew it was over, but she needed to hear it from him. "Andy…" she called, barely louder than a whisper. Andy hesitated and turned once again to face her. "Are you saying that you don't want to see me anymore?" she asked.

"I don't know what I want anymore," Andy answered, turning away for the last time, leaving Prue on the steps to watch him leave.


	15. The Truth Is Out There… and It Hurts Part 1

The Truth Is Out There… and It Hurts

~PO4~

Parking Lot

A school professor made his way through the campus parking deck, heading toward his reserved parking space. His briefcase was clutched tightly in his hand as he fumbled in his jacket pocket for his car keys. He hesitated when he looked up and found someone waiting beside his car, half-hidden by the shadows of the night.

"Excuse me, are you Dr. Mitchell? Dr. Oliver Mitchell?" the man beside the car asked, his voicing echoing around the half-empty parking lot.

The professor was silent for a moment while he studied the man. "Yes," Dr. Mitchell admitted warily.

The other man smiled, his hand moving to his heart as if he was a fan and took several steps toward Dr. Mitchell. "What a pleasure. I can't tell you how long I've waited for this," he responded, a hint of admiration in his voice.

Dr. Mitchell, a little embarrassed, but more suspicious than anything chose to ignore the comment and move toward his car. He flipped his keys into a better position with his hand and started to move around the admiring guy. As he approached his car he was cut off by the man who held his hand out for it to be shaken. Dr. Mitchell stopped again when his path was blocked. "Excuse me, have we…?" Dr. Mitchell began to ask, but was cut off by the other man.

"… Met? I'm sorry, only in print. I've read your work. Your studies, specifically on cell degeneration are ahead of their time," the admirer explained his interest, still holding the large smile.

Dr. Mitchell laughed nervously, coming to the conclusion that this fan of his was creepy. "You're very kind," he replied politely and again advanced toward his car, only to have the other man follow him.

"No, really. It's fascinating. You've become kind of a hobby of mine. I found your article on the mutant retina gene to be particularly intriguing," he added, crossing his arms while closing the distance between him and Dr. Mitchell.

A flash of surprise shot through Dr. Mitchell's eyes. "But I haven't even…" he started, only to have the other man finish his sentence.

"… published it yet? Don't worry, you will. And you'll help to find the vaccine," the man assured him cryptically.

"The vaccine? Against what?" Dr. Mitchell asked curiously.

"Against this."

Dr. Mitchell's eyes widened in horror just before a laser beam hit his forehead, just between the eyes. He screamed in pain, dropping his keys as the beam cut through his skull. His eyes glowed white and he dropped lifeless to the ground.

~PO4~

San Francisco Cinema

Holding their movie tickets tightly in one hand, Phoebe made her way down the long line to where her sisters waited for the theatre to start letting people in. She walked slowly, paying more attention to the magic 8 ball in her other hand than to her surroundings.

"Ask again later. Hello, vague," Phoebe muttered as she stopped in front of her sisters. "How am I supposed to plan my future without a little direction?" she ranted, turning on her sisters, who appeared to be holding back sniggers.

"You, who can see the future, is now looking for it in a magic 8 ball," Prue teased lightly.

Phoebe rolled her eyes good-naturedly at her eldest sister. "My visions don't help me, remember," she countered.

"Well, ask it something else," Paige suggested, excitedly running forward to stand on Phoebe's left so she could look at the answer.

"I've got an idea. Why don't we ask if Prue and Andy will get back together," Piper proposed, crowding around Phoebe while Prue frowned at being the center of the conversation.

"Oh, Phoebe, please don't," Prue pleaded with a shake of her head.

Phoebe was already shaking the magic 8 ball with Piper and Paige looking eagerly for the answer. "Ooh," Phoebe said as soon as she read the answer.

"Interesting," Paige laughed, her eyes flickering to look at Prue, who now appeared curious.

"Very," Piper agreed, just as her pager began to go off.

Prue hastily stepped forward to see what it said, her curiosity getting the better of her. Phoebe teasingly began to shake it, losing the answer and Prue glared at her. "You three are cruel," she declared, stepping back and crossing her arms as if she was upset.

"You'll be okay, Prue," Paige smiled innocently and skipped forward to give her eldest sister a hug.

"Ask it what a day off feels like," Piper muttered after pulling her pager out of her pocket. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige stopped their light scuffling and turned to look curiously at

Piper. "That was my boss, Martin. I have to get back to the restaurant," she elaborated, recognizing the looks cast in her direction.

"You're kidding…" Prue stated in disbelief, her eyes narrowing slightly as her big sister instincts kicked in.

Piper sighed, obviously not. "There's a convention in town and business is just crazy," she explained.

"But you worked a double shift yesterday and the day before that. He's working you to death, Piper," Phoebe pointed out, her voice half-anger and half-concern.

"I thought you were supposed to talk to Martin about that a long time ago," Paige brought up, acutely remembering the conversation in which Prue was trying to tell Piper to stand up for herself. It was very similar to conversations they used to have as teenagers.

"She never got around to it," Prue stated the same time Piper said it herself. Piper took out her cell phone to call her boss, all the while shooting daggers at Prue who was still frowning in disapproval.

"Well, tell him to stuff it. Tell him you're taking the night off and that's that," Phoebe ordered as Piper put the phone to her ear, waiting for her boss to pick up.

"You know, you're right. I will," Piper decided, feeling a confidence boost. Her sisters all smiled and were listening intently, crowding around so they could hear his reaction. There was a moment of silence before Martin finally picked up. "Hello, Martin. No, I know what you want but…" Piper began pretty strongly, but gave up quickly. Her sisters exchanged a look, realizing she was giving in. "… okay, no, that's not a problem. I'll be right there."

"Wow, you told him," Prue bantered, almost laughing at her sister's failed attempt.

"Beware the wrath of Piper," Phoebe teased while poking Piper in the side.

Piper poked her back with a soft laugh. "I'll talk to him… eventually. I gotta go," Piper replied, walking off toward where she'd parked her car.

Phoebe glanced between Prue and Paige and then toward Piper before taking off after her elder sister. "Wait, Piper. I'll walk you to the car. It's safer," she called, catching up and linking arms with Piper so as not to get separated in the crowd.

"We'll wait here," Prue offered, linking arms with Paige as they took a single step forward in the line.

~PO4~  
"Excuse me. Pardon me," Phoebe mumbled as she and Piper pushed through the people. Piper and Phoebe pulled apart when the warlock that killed Dr. Mitchell walked toward them with no intention of moving out of their way. As they passed around him, he knocked Phoebe in the shoulder who was pulled into a premonition.

A laser beam shot a woman in the forehead until it penetrated her skull. Her eyes turned completely white and she fell to the ground, dead.

Phoebe gasped as she pulled out and looked around for the man that had triggered the premonition. "Oh my god, Piper!" she exclaimed.

Piper spun around, suddenly realizing Phoebe had stopped and headed back toward her. "What is it?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I just had a premonition. A woman's about to get murdered," Phoebe explained, her eyes flickering over as many people as she could, hoping to catch a glimpse of a clue. They both spun around as the sirens and lights of police cars passed by into the nearby parking deck. Without a second thought they dashed after them.

~PO4~

"You know, maybe we should give Piper a confidence class. That or we should go talk to Martin ourselves. He wouldn't last two minutes against you," Paige commented, nodding approvingly at her own plan.

Prue laughed and shook her head at her baby sister. "Something tells me she wouldn't appreciate the help." There was a moment of silence in which Paige sighed at the truth of the statement. "So, Paigey… what did the magic 8 ball say?" Prue asked casually though she was listening eagerly.

Paige glanced at her slyly and shrugged, knowing it would drive her sister crazy. "I don't know, Prue," she giggled, flashing one of her famous innocent smiles.

"Oh, Paige. Please…" Prue began, but trailed off, her smile disappearing. She quickly spun to look where her sisters had disappeared and recognized the lights of police cars.

"Piper," she whispered before bolting off toward where she knew Piper and Phoebe were heading.

Paige was left, stunned for a split moment, before she took off after her sister. "Prue! Wait up!" She called, pushing through the crowd.

~PO4~

Piper and Phoebe pulled to a halt as they saw the body of the professor lying on the ground. Prue and Paige came up behind them moments later.

"Oh my god," Prue whispered while her sisters stared at the body, speechless.

"Phoebe saw this murder before it happened," Piper finally managed to choke out, her eyes never leaving Dr. Mitchell.

Phoebe slowly shook her head when Prue and Paige looked over for an explanation. "No, not this one. I think I saw the next one."

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper walked around the kitchen preparing the morning coffee for each of her sisters. She stepped up, out of the way when Phoebe passed around her and headed toward the cereal boxes. Phoebe grabbed all three boxes before taking them to the middle island and pouring some of each into her bowl. Paige groggily came in, followed closely by Prue, who was carrying the newspaper. Prue quickly dodged around her little sisters to get at the coffee and sat down at the table before preparing the newspaper. Phoebe joined her at the table a moment later and Paige took one of the cereal boxes and began eating straight from the box.

"Uh, is this leaded?" Prue asked after glancing toward her coffee cup and then up at Piper.

"Always is," Piper replied simply. Piper reached out to give Paige her cup of coffee, but when pulling back, her elbow hit one of the cereal boxes and it tipped over. "Oh!" she reacted, jumping slightly and throwing her hands out. The box froze and after realizing it couldn't be helped she pulled the trash bin under it. The box unfroze and fell into the trash. Piper sighed and passed another cup of coffee to Paige. "Pass one of those to Phoebe, please."

Paige nodded wordlessly and threw her hand out. "Coffee," she ordered. The cup disappeared and then reappeared in front of Phoebe at the table.

Prue narrowed her eyes and sent a look of disapproval toward the youngest Halliwell. "What have we told you about using magic unnecessarily? Especially when there are other people in the house," Prue scolded.

"Probably that I'm not supposed to. No one else is here so I don't see the big deal," Paige muttered, blinking sleep out of her eyes and not appearing too concerned about her action.

Leo came in from the Foyer with a wave at the Halliwell sisters. Paige frowned slightly, but chose to ignore the pointed glance sent in her direction by Prue. "Morning ladies, took a look at the staircase. It shouldn't be more than two days work. You mind if I get started?" Leo wondered with a backward glance toward the staircase.

"Nope, not at all. I'll get you some coffee," Piper allowed, turning back to the coffee machine, but hesitating as her pager began to beep.

Phoebe jumped up from the table at the unexpected opportunity. "But you're busy. I'll get it," Phoebe offered, passing a disgruntled Piper to get another mug. "Be right there, Leo," she called before Leo left the kitchen.

Prue and Paige exchanged a knowing glance, their earlier squabble forgotten at the sight of their sisters' ongoing feud. "When are you two gonna stop fighting over him and grow up?" Prue questioned, watching as Piper and Phoebe began a tug of war with the coffee cup.

Paige watched for a moment before walking toward them and stepping in-between. "You're going to spill coffee everywhere." Was her excuse when Phoebe shot her a glare for making her let go of the coffee.

"There's no coffee in it yet!" Phoebe muttered indignantly.

"Oops. My mistake," Paige apologized cheekily, not sounding sorry in the slightest.

Piper grinned triumphantly and backed away from Phoebe now that she had what she wanted. "When Phoebe realizes she doesn't have a chance with him," she answered to Prue's earlier question while pouring the coffee in.

"Well, that doesn't matter now because I have to go protect the innocent," Phoebe decided, switching the topic away from Leo since Piper had won this particular battle.

"So, we'll call a truce… temporarily. I'll just take this to Leo." Piper grinned and left to take the coffee to the handyman, leaving Prue, Phoebe, and Paige in the kitchen.

Prue watched her leave before saying anything to Phoebe. "You know you're only into him because Piper is," Prue commented carefully.

Phoebe jokingly feigned a look of hurt as she took several steps toward Prue. "That is so not true. I'm wounded," she acted, taking back her seat next to Prue. "Is there anything in there about last night's murder?" she finally asked, nodding toward the newspaper in front of Prue. Paige curiously followed and sat down across from Phoebe.

"Nothing of any use," Prue replied, flipping through the pages again.

Phoebe sighed and rolled her eyes. "How am I supposed to figure out who the girl in my vision is?" she ranted looking from Prue to Paige for answers.

"What'd she look like?" Paige asked.

Phoebe was silent a moment as she remembered some of the basics. "Well, she was about 5'3'' and her hair was light…ish," she trailed off, not remembering anything else about her. Or at least not knowing how to describe her.

"Oh! I know someone that fits that description," Paige announced with false enthusiasm, sending a teasing glance toward Phoebe.

Prue was waiting for a more details, but realized that Phoebe didn't have any more to offer. "That's it?"

"It's not on videotape. I can't exactly rewind it," Phoebe defended herself with a half-laugh. Prue looked back down at the paper, pondering the situation when Phoebe got her attention again. "Hey, you've got to talk to Andy."

"What?" Prue demanded, obviously not too keen at the idea.

"Well, if I can't find her, then I have to find the killer before he gets to her," Phoebe explained while Prue ran a hand through her hair, looking for a way out.

"Well, have you checked the Book of Shadows? From the way you described your vision it sounds like it could be demonic," Prue suggested.

Paige watched the ping pong between her elder sisters for several moments before picking Phoebe's side of the conversation. "Yeah, but, Andy has a tendency to get caught up in our cases. So you should go see and find out if it holds true for this one," Paige argued.

Prue narrowed her eyes, unwilling to let her sisters corner her this time. "Can't."

"Won't," Paige and Phoebe stated at the same time.

"Guys, give me a break. We just stopped seeing each other. Don't you think it might be a little awkward?" Prue countered, crossing her arms defensively.

"Okay, then how about I go see him and you look in the Book of Shadows," Phoebe decided, finally letting Prue drop out of speaking to Andy.

"Phoebe…" Prue began, but was cut off by her younger sister.

"Prue, I had this vision for a reason. I'm supposed to save her. I know it and I have to find her," Phoebe retorted, getting up from her seat to get ready to visit the police station.

Prue sighed and reluctantly nodded while Paige waved farewell and went off to work.

~PO4~

Prue stood in front of the Book of Shadows, flipping continuously through the section labeled 'Demons.' "Nothing… I don't even know what I'm looking for," Prue mumbled to herself, flipping back to the beginning and looking through. After several moments she closed the book, giving up, and started to walk out of the attic. She spun around upon hearing a loud 'thunk.' The Book of Shadows had opened up by itself. Prue hesitated before stepping toward it and reading the page it was on. "The Truth Spell…" she whispered, narrowing her eyes. She flipped the book back to the demon section, but it immediately moved back to The Truth Spell. "What the…?" Prue began, already arguing with herself against using the spell against Andy. She knew that's what she wanted to do with it, but could she really do that? In frustration, she slammed the book closed and left the attic hastily. As she left, the book opened and flipped back to the Truth Spell.

~PO4~

Quake

Piper was pushed up in the corner of the bar, phone in hand with her money books out trying to figure out how much she could spend to buy the necessities. She frowned in irritation at how hard it was to hear the other speaker over the noise of the crowded bar. Surely there was a limit to how many people could enter the bar, but if there was, they, apparently, weren't following it. People couldn't even move!

"The truth is I need the extra table cloths because…" Piper began to explain after finally realizing what the guy on the other line was saying. She trailed off when the guy next to her knocked over his glass of wine that spilled all over her papers. She jumped up, immediately grabbing napkins to try and dab the papers off. Piper's eyes narrowed when she saw Martin approaching.

"I need this space. Can't you do that in the manager's office?" he nagged, grabbing the phone from Piper and hanging it up before she could stop him.

Piper's eyes narrowed even more, if possible, and crossed her arms in barely contained anger. "You took my desk remember, Martin?" she reminded him coldly.

"Then go somewhere else. I've got a restaurant full of hungry conventioneers, I just ran out of corn chowder, and I need you to get a hold of produce pronto," Martin retorted, starting to turn away until Piper spoke up in disbelief.

"Well, what about the books?" she demanded, grabbing what was left of the wine-covered papers and reminding him of their importance.

"You can take them home with you. I come back after three weeks and the whole place is chaos," Martin decided, waving his arms dramatically around the seating area. He turned and walked away.

Piper, tired of the over-work, jumped to her feet and followed a few steps. "Martin, you know what I think?" she called over the voices of the crowd.

Martin spun around to face her. "What? What do you think?" he challenged, his angry voice catching Piper off guard.

Piper halted nervously and immediately backed down from the challenge. "Uh, I think I'm gonna need that number to produce," she replied meekly. Martin threw his hands in the air dramatically and disappeared in the crowd.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House  
Prue sat down at her desk and pulled a stack of paperwork toward her. Progress was slow at filling out the desired papers since her eyes kept flickering to the picture of Andy and her. She would shake her head, trying to clear it of those thoughts and turn back to the papers, only to end up looking back at the picture. One of these particular moments she looked up, hearing a knock on her door and recognized Phoebe as she walked in.

"Hey," Phoebe called cheerfully.

"Hey," Prue repeated, leaning forward slightly and preparing for whatever Phoebe had in mind. 

Phoebe turned and closed the door behind her before quickly closing the distance between her eldest sister and her. "Can I borrow your laptop? I need to do some surfing on the web, see if I can find anything about the burns on the victim's forehead," she explained, noticing Prue's look of surprise at the request. "What?" Phoebe laughed curiously.

Prue slowly got up from her desk before elaborating. "Nothing. I just never thought of you as computer friendly."

"Are you kidding? Chat rooms saved my life," Phoebe admitted as Prue grabbed her laptop case off a nearby table.

"Ahh…" Prue replied as if that comment explained everything. "Um, so did you talk to Andy?" she asked casually though she didn't really want an update on the supernatural part.

She just wanted to know how he was.

Phoebe took the laptop from Prue and threw it over her shoulder before saying anything. "Actually, I spoke to his partner instead."

Prue's eyes narrowed in disapproval. "You told Morris?" she demanded, disbelief evident in her voice.

"About the case? I didn't have to. Every Inspector at the station was talking about it. The only problem is they're stumped. Did you find anything in the Book of Shadows?" Phoebe asked hopefully.

'The Truth Spell,' Prue thought, but obviously that wasn't what Phoebe was talking about. "Uh, I'm not sure," she admitted, biting her lip slightly. She realized if she wanted to know about Andy she was going to have to be more specific. "So, you didn't see Andy?" Prue prompted nervously.

Phoebe smiled at the question, having expected it to come up sometime in the conversation. "No, I said I didn't talk to Andy. I saw him in the parking lot when I left, but he had that look, Prue. You know the one I'm talking about because you might recognize it from the mirror," she answered a hint of a tease in her last comment. "He really cares about you," Phoebe added in a completely serious tone.

Prue sighed and sat down behind her desk. "Yeah, don't you think I know that?"

"So what are you waiting for? Tell him the truth. It's the only thing that's standing between you guys," Phoebe suggested.

"Tell him I'm a witch? I can't do that. What if he can't handle it? It's not like I can put the genie back in the bottle," Prue argued while Phoebe smiled slightly at the predictable comment.

"He's not going to turn you in to the warlock police," Phoebe countered half-jokingly before turning serious again. "At least you'd know how he feels once and for all. Otherwise, you'll never know if it could have worked out or not. If I were you, I'd figure out a way to tell him," she finished then smiled a little sympathetically. "Thank you for the laptop."

Phoebe turned to leave, giving her sister some alone time to figure out what she wanted to do.

Prue watched her leave before looking back down at her papers again. It wasn't but a moment later when another woman knocked lightly on her door, gaining Prue's attention.

"Sandwich?" the woman asked, pulling her cooler up behind her.

Prue rose to her feet and grabbed her wallet from her purse as she approached the woman. "Hey, Tanya. Sure," she agreed.

Tanya grabbed a sandwich from the top of her cooler and met Prue halfway. "I saved you your favorite. Turkey, no mayo."

Prue passed the money to Tanya and took the sandwich. "You're a good woman," Prue laughed gratefully.

"Thanks," Tanya replied as Prue turned away.

"Bye," Prue called pleasantly over her shoulder, sitting her sandwich down on her desk as the door behind her closed, leaving her alone in her office. She walked back around her desk, her eyes catching sight of the picture of Andy and her again. She slowly sat down in her chair, her mind wandering to The Truth Spell.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Prue stood in the attic, staring at the Book of Shadows which was open to the Truth Spell. She didn't know how long she stood there, debating. Even after confessing her thoughts to Piper she wasn't sure what she wanted to do. She was scared of the answer she could potentially receive, but she, also, couldn't ignore the other possibility.

"Okay, you win," Prue finally decided, placing her hands on the pedestal where the Book of Shadows rested.

~PO4~

Outside, Piper unlocked the front door of the Manor as Phoebe and Paige came up behind her. Piper had the books from Quake in her hand while Phoebe was carrying Prue's laptop and Paige had a notebook that contained Phoebe's notes on the case.

"Hey, stranger. Back from the war?" Phoebe called, meeting Piper up on the threshold.

Piper pushed the door open and turned to look at her younger sisters. She glanced down at the books in her hand with a slight frown. "More like I brought it home with me. Inventory," she muttered, receiving a sympathetic glance from Paige.

"Don't worry, Piper. I'm already helping Phoebe with hers, I'll help you too," Paige offered as the three sisters pushed into the house. Piper was so busy fuming about Martin and her work she didn't pay attention to what Prue was doing in the attic.

~PO4~

"For those who want the truth revealed  
Opened hearts and secrets unsealed  
From now until it's now again  
After which the memory ends"

Prue chanted slowly, fiddling with her necklace the entire time.

~PO4~

"So I guess you didn't talk to your boss," Phoebe guessed as Piper, Paige, and she walked around the corner into the parlor.

"'Course I did. Just like I said I would," Piper countered, taking a seat on the couch and placing the books in front of her.

Phoebe sat down on her right, swinging the laptop around to rest on the table beside Piper's books, while Paige sat down on Piper's left, grabbing a pen off the table.

Piper reached up to touch a spot on her chin and turned to Paige. "Am I getting a zit on my chin?"

Paige looked over at her curiously and shook her head. "Can't see anything."

~PO4~

"Those who now are in this house  
Will hear the truth from others' mouths"

Prue finished, hesitantly looking up and wondering if it had worked. She reached for her phone that sat next to her on a table.

~PO4~

"So you really can't see it?" Piper fretted, still rubbing the spot on her chin.

Phoebe looked over this time and her eyes widened. "Are you kidding? It looks like that thing has a life of its own," the truth spell forced her to say. She looked confused at what she had said and just shrugged when Paige cast her a glance that clearly stated what-did-you-say-that-for?

"What?" Piper asked in confusion. Even if it did look like that, her sisters weren't supposed to say it.

"So, did you say you told off Martin?" Paige wondered curiously, trying to change the subject away from Phoebe's blunder.

"No, I lied. I chickened out," Piper answered, the truth spell forcing her to say the truth. Piper's mouth dropped and immediately thought of Prue, but she didn't want to jump to conclusions with her little sisters around.

Phoebe and Paige just exchanged curious glances with each other. "I think I'm just going to go to bed," Paige decided while Phoebe nodded in agreement. They both hastily jumped to their feet and left up the stairs. Piper hesitated a moment, waiting until she heard two doors slam shut before taking off up the stairs to the attic.

~PO4~

Prue listened nervously as the waiting ring started up and eventually Andy's answering machine picked up.

"Hi, you have reached, Andy Trudeau. Leave your name and number and I'll get back to you. Thanks," the answering machine said before clicking off. Prue took a deep breath to steady herself before saying anything. "Hi, Andy, it's- it's, um, Prue. I was wondering if- could you just call me please, soon… within the next twenty four hours. I need to talk to you about something so, um, just call okay, alright," she rambled nervously. She was about to hang up when she decided to tell him he could call sometime tonight. "Um, tonight would be fine too, okay, bye," Prue finally finished, clicking the off button and lowering the phone. She jumped when Piper's voice broke her out of her reverie.

"Wow, Prue. I've never heard you sound so nervous," Piper teased, coming into the attic and crossing her arms as she looked at the open book. Prue wasn't really listening to Piper as she worriedly played with the phone in her hand. She heard the comment, but decided just to ignore it. She did space out afterward, staring out the window, her thoughts

on how Andy would react. "Prue? Hey, Prue? Are you listening to me?" Piper called, apparently having been repeating the same thing trying to get Prue's attention.

Prue finally looked back around to Piper. "Yes, I cast it," she answered the silent question, nodding toward the Truth Spell page.

"Just a warning Prue… we were all in the house when you cast it, so you're going to have two very confused and suspicious sisters tomorrow morning," Piper warned her, her eyes narrowing slightly at Prue, who still didn't really appear to be paying attention. In fact, it was several moments before Prue spoke at all.

"What if he can't handle it, Piper? What if he hates me after I tell him?" Prue asked suddenly, her voice barely more than a whisper. Her ice blue eyes flickered to look at her little sister who appeared surprised by the question and Prue's sudden vulnerability.

It took Piper a few moments to answer in her uncertainty and surprise. "Andy never could hate you, Prue. Even if it's not something he wants, he's not going to hate you," Piper assured her sister, but she bit her lip slightly at the rest of the question.

"You think he's going to take it badly…" Prue stated, turning away from Piper so she couldn't see the fear in her eyes.

Piper normally would have said 'no', even if it wasn't necessarily true, but the truth spell had other plans. "I really don't know," she answered instead, flinching slightly, knowing that wasn't what Prue would want to hear.

Prue smiled slightly and gave a slight nod, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't know if I want to do this if I have to give him up," she whispered, speaking of the witchcraft that had been forced upon her. "I never wanted this."

Piper slowly took a few steps forward and wrapped her arms around her big sister and was pleasantly surprised when Prue leaned back into her instead of pulling away as she normally did. "Wait until you see his reaction before you worry about that," Piper suggested softly, reading her thought. It was a thought that scared her. If Andy didn't accept her after he learned of them, her big sister may just give up. She was met with more silence. "I'm going to bed," Piper finally broke the silence after what felt like hours. She felt Prue give a slight nod before she let go and left her sister to sort through her thoughts.

Prue watched Piper go silently before turning back to the book. She flipped away from the truth spell until she found what she was looking for. The Power Stripping Potion. She stared at it uncertainly before marking the page and slamming the book shut and heading down for bed.

~PO4~

Science Lab

A young man moved from the island in the room back to a desk, placing a slide under the microscope in front of him. As he's busy studying the slide through the microscope, the warlock that killed Dr. Mitchell silently stepped into the room.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Pearson? Alex Pearson?" the warlock asked causing the young man to look up in surprise at the entrance.

"Yeah. Yeah, can I help you?" Alex wondered in curiosity and surprise.

The warlock smiled and took a step forward. "In so many ways," he answered cryptically. "Working late tonight, aren't you?" he observed, taking a look at the different slides on the various counters in the room.

"Uh, yeah. I work better at night. And these soil samples just arrived from the Bindura plateau," Alex replied cheerfully, pointing at the slides he was focusing his attention on this night. He reached over and turned off his radio politely.

"Ahhh… Zimbabwe. Their crops have been over-run by disease for decades. Well, your work will put an end to that," he commented, turning back to face Alex.

"That's the hope," Alex offered, his eyes flickering uncertainly over the warlock in front of him.

The warlock shook his head in disagreement. "That's the reality," he countered.

Alex narrowed his eyes slightly in suspicion, but was playing it cool. "Are you from the foundation? They usually don't check up on us this late," he questioned a little nervously.

"Oh, no, no. But I have studied your work and know what it will lead to," he answered laughing and advancing toward Alex.

"My- my work? You mean the labs? I'm really just the technician," Alex pointed out mildly.

The warlock reached out and gripped Alex's shoulder lightly. "For now but someday. Someday you will help find the vaccine," he explained cryptically.

"The vaccine? For what?" Alex wondered but when the warlock just smiled he demanded more information. "Who are you? What do you want?"

The warlock stepped closer so he was just in front of Alex. "Your future," he whispered.

Alex's eyes widened and he started to move around the warlock, but was grabbed by the front of his lab coat. Alex struggled to get away from him and succeeded in ripping a button off the warlock's jacket, but was eventually subdued. Another eye opened up on the warlock's head, on his forehead and just above and between his eyes. "Dear God, what is it?" Alex breathed, his eyes filling with horror. A laser beam shot out of the warlock's third eye and hit Alex in the forehead. It penetrated his skull, his eyes turned completely white. Alex screamed in pain until the warlock let him drop, dead.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

The next morning Piper was again pouring coffee for each of her sisters when Prue came in. Piper passed one of the mugs to her and watched her closely as Prue made her way to the table to look over the paper. Piper wasn't sure if it was a good thing Prue appeared as normal as she ever did.

"Thanks, is this leaded?" Prue asked as she sat down at the table.

Piper didn't look up from fixing her coffee. "Nope," she replied quickly.

Prue stopped and stared at her in confusion. "It's not?" she questioned in surprise.

"Never has been. I just say it because it's ridiculous to make two pots of coffee when you're the only that drinks diesel," Piper explained, the truth spell forcing the answer. Piper appeared annoyed at the realization and made sure Prue caught her narrowed eyes.

Paige glanced at Piper curiously as she came in and grabbed a cup of coffee. Weird of her to start admitting it now. She quickly moved to take a seat next to Prue at the table.

Piper narrowed her eyes at Paige's dressy attire and shot to question her. "Why're you dressed up Missy Paige?" she wondered casually.

"I'm going to Alex's place today," Paige answered immediately though she appeared confused at having admitted it. She blushed upon seeing her elder sisters' suspicious looks and decided she needed to keep her mouth shut. Luckily before either Prue or Piper could push for further information Phoebe came trudging in, moving straight for the coffee.

"Prue, don't give me grief when you get the phone bill. I was up all night and didn't find anything. That poor girl," Phoebe admitted, running a hand through her hair. Phoebe slowly made her way to the refrigerator where she pulled out the milk for her cereal. "Oh, Piper, I'm sorry about the crack I made about your zit," she apologized.

"That's okay. So you really can't see it?" Piper asked.

Phoebe glanced up from pouring her cereal to look at Piper. "Like I said, it's huge," Phoebe replied, freezing for a moment in realization of what she had just said.

Paige shook her head at the comment. "There's something weird going on…" she muttered, her eyes flickering from one sister to another.

Leo came in, as cheerful as usual. "Morning, ladies. I should be able to finish the stairs today," he updated them on his progress.

Piper nodded slightly and moved to grab another coffee mug. "Okay, um, I'll make some more coffee."

Phoebe smiled and turned to look at Leo. "And I'll bring it to you," she offered lightly as Leo turned and left.

"Oh, here we go again, right?" Piper began rolling her eyes as the competition for his attention started again.

Phoebe laughed and leaned toward her frustrated elder sister. "Piper, we both know the only reason I like Leo is because you do," Phoebe assured her while Piper raised her eyebrows at the confession. Phoebe hesitated a moment trying to figure out why she had said that and ignored the looks Prue and Paige were giving her. She set her coffee mug down a little harder than necessary. "Okay, I have no idea why I just said that," she announced. There was moment of silence during which Phoebe realized Prue had been unusually silent this morning. She spun to face the eldest Halliwell. "What's going on?"

Prue jumped to her feet suddenly very keen to get away from the two youngest Halliwells' staring eyes. "Uh, okay, I'm late for work. Busy. Gotta go. Piper I need a ride!" she called, hastily heading toward the Foyer, stopping only long enough to grab Piper by the hand and pull her along.

Phoebe and Paige exchanged a knowing glance. "Prue! Piper!" Paige yelled in a scolding tone of voice.

Both the eldest Halliwells halted just outside the kitchen door. Prue was biting her lip while Piper was blushing and avoided eye contact. "Yeah?" Prue finally answered.

"Spill, what's up?" Phoebe asked.

Prue and Piper exchanged a glance before Prue answered, recognizing the fact that she had been caught. "I cast a truth spell!" she admitted, spinning around and dashing for the door while pulling Piper along after her.

"What?" Phoebe demanded curiously at the same time Paige asked "You cast a truth spell?"

"Yes, so please no more questions," Prue begged, turning to face the younger Halliwells.

"And you knew?!" Paige spun on Piper who was still avoiding eye contact.

"Yep," Piper answered simply, flashing an innocent smile.

"Well, why'd you cast it?" Phoebe interrogated, turning back toward Prue.

"Because I wanted to know what Andy would think of me if he knew I was a witch," Prue replied immediately.

"I can't believe it," Phoebe breathed, staring at Prue in a new light.

Prue frowned, looking annoyed at the comment. "Look who's talking, little Miss Spell-of-the-Week," Prue snapped.

"No, no, I mean, I can't believe you actually took my advice! The biggest pooper at the Wicca party has finally used her powers for personal gain. Prue, it's about time," Phoebe congratulated her big sister while Prue frowned even more.

"It's affecting us," Paige pointed out. It was hard to tell whether she was upset about it or not. She appeared to be weighing the consequences.

"It was only supposed to work on me, okay. It said 'those in this house.' I thought I was alone," Prue admitted, taking a few steps toward the door.

"Which, obviously, she wasn't," Piper added, gaining a quick glare from Prue while Phoebe laughed.

Paige shook her head quickly. "We need to undo this. I can't go see Alex under the truth spell," she fretted, narrowing her eyes at her elder sisters.

"Can't. Twenty-four hour time limit. Which means until eight o'clock tonight, everyone that comes into contact with us will have no choice but to tell the truth," Prue explained.

"What do you mean, 'no choice'?" Paige questioned.

"Exactly that, ask me a question," Prue challenged.

Phoebe grinned and raised her hand as if she was in school. "I'm game! Prue, what do you think of me?"

"Well, I admire your confidence and your fearlessness, your utter lack of responsibility frustrates me to no end," Prue replied, frowning slightly at her answer. "Oh god, that is so enough," she muttered.

"Oh, this could be very dangerous," Piper just began to realize, her eyes flickering from one sister to the next.

Phoebe smiled and put her arm around Piper. "I'm kinda diggin' it. Piper, what do you really think of your boss?" she wondered and all eyes turned to Piper who was desperately trying not to answer.

"I think he's a self-serving jerk that must have a very small penis… Oh God! I'm going to be so fired!" Piper exclaimed, now sending daggers toward Prue who was fighting vainly to hold back giggling at her answer.

"No, no, no. It's okay. Because once the spell ends no one will remember what they've heard," Prue immediately reassured her sisters. "You guys, I just wanted to see how Andy would react."

"What a way to come out of the broom closet," Phoebe joked. She obviously was fine with spell.

Piper, remembering the Prue from last night, couldn't justify being mad at her… plus she had kind of egged her on. She just hadn't thought of the consequences against her.

Paige appeared thoughtful and gave a slight nod of understanding. "Maybe I should reschedule the date though. He isn't going to remember it…" Paige mumbled, toying with the idea.

"Whoa. Whoa. Wait a minute…" Phoebe yelled suddenly as inspiration hit her.

"Premonition?" Paige questioned, feeling Phoebe tense beside her.

"No. Epiphany," Phoebe assured them and then turned to Prue with a sparkle in her eyes. "So you're telling me that everyone I ask a question to has to answer with the truth."

Prue thought it over carefully and gave a short nod. "I think so, yes. But that also means that if we get asked a question, we have to answer with the truth."

Phoebe nodded excitedly and grabbed hold of Paige's hand. "I can work around that. This is cool. Very cool. Come on, Paige," she ordered pulling her sister toward the door where they both hastily grabbed their jackets.

"Well, I think that worked out pretty well," Prue commented as the front door closed, leaving her alone with Piper.

"Yeah, next time you cast a spell. Make sure we're not in the house," Piper suggested with a smile.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

"So, how is this going to work again?" Paige asked as she followed Phoebe into the police station, carrying all of Phoebe's stuff.

Phoebe glanced around at all the people in the area before picking one of the hallways and following it. "I'm going to ask the questions, the truth spell will force Andy to tell us the truth, and you write them down," she answered with a quick nod at her plan. As long as she didn't let Andy ask anything the plan would be fool-proof.

"Oh, poor Andy. I can't believe you're using him like that," Paige lamented with a hint of laughter in her voice. "Did you tell Prue?" she wondered curiously.

"Hell no. I'm going with the old 'do it first…'"

"'… and apologize later.' Right?" Paige finished her sentence while casting a teasing glance toward the elder Halliwell sister.

Phoebe turned back to look at Paige with a wide smile. "Exactly."

Paige rolled her eyes and looked around the room they had just entered. Her eyes quickly focused on Andy, who was sitting at his desk and looking over some files. "I found him," she spoke up, nodding in his direction.

Phoebe grinned and motioned for Paige to follow her as they approached Andy's desk. They both stopped just in front of him waiting for him to notice them.

"Phoebe, Paige," Andy greeted cheerfully as he looked up and noticed them there. He closed the file he had on his desk and pushed it to the side, giving the two sisters his full attention.

"Hi, Andy!" Paige replied immediately, casting him an innocent smile.

"What are you…?" Andy began to ask but was cut off by Phoebe, who didn't want him to ask that question.

"Have you talked to Prue?" Phoebe asked instinctively and Paige glanced curiously in her direction.

Andy hesitated answering for a moment. "She left a message on my machine last night. Wasn't sure if I wanted to call her back or not," he admitted.

Phoebe laughed softly motioning toward Paige, who recognized the signal. Phoebe sat down in the chair next to Andy while Paige sat in another one after rummaging through the bag she had and pulling out a notepad. "Believe me, trust me, you definitely want to call her back," Phoebe suggested, getting comfortable.

Andy looked away, not particularly keen on having this conversation with Prue's sisters. "Is that why you came here?" he questioned casually, looking back down at the files in his hand.

"Hardly, Paige, you ready?" Phoebe called, turning to look at Paige.

Paige sat up straighter and leaned slightly forward, pen and notepad in her hand, ready for some note-taking. "Ready."

Phoebe grinned and leaned forward to ask her questions so that none of the other officers could hear and, therefore, Andy wouldn't get in trouble. Prue would kill them if that happened. "What do you know about the guy they found murdered in the college parking deck the other night?"

"Lead detective says that he's not the only victim. Last night they found a lab technician out in Oakland. Each of them had the same cauterized mark on their forehead and their eyes were drained of color. They were completely white," Andy explained immediately, looking more confused as he kept going. "Wait…" he finally tried to stop himself

Phoebe didn't wait for him to think too much about it. "Cause of death?" she questioned, casting a glance at Paige who was scribbling down everything Andy said.

"Unknown, looks like he took a bullet to the head only there's no exit wound and no bullet," he again answered against his better judgment. "Phoebe, this is highly…" he started to comment about the information being confidential, but Phoebe beat him to it.

"Any suspects?" she demanded

"Not yet."

"Any information that could lead to a suspect?"

Andy was silent a moment as he thought the question over. "They found a button at the crime scene, possibly from the suspect's jacket, made of an alloy forensics has never seen before… What the hell is…" he began to ask.

Paige looked up with wide brown eyes, recognizing the question. "Do not ask that question," she ordered sternly and Andy trailed off.

Phoebe smiled and waved. "Thanks. We gotta go," she called, standing up and pulling Paige to her feet.

"Yeah, don't forget to call Prue by 8 o'clock tonight," Paige added, waving as well and being pulled out of the station by Phoebe.

Andy waved good-bye and gave them a thumbs up, forcing himself to keep his mouth shut before he gave too much away.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue nervously sat at her desk, clicking her pen for no other reason than to keep her hands busy. She looked down at the paperwork she was still supposed to be working on, but couldn't manage to focus enough to actually do anything. The phone rang and Prue jumped to answer it, having been expecting Andy to call sometime. "Hello?" she answered, forgetting she was at work. Remembering the formalities of  
the job she hastily tried to cover her blunder. "Uh, I mean, Prue Halliwell."

"Hey, it's me," Andy greeted, laughing silently at her attempt to cover her mistake.

Prue let out a breath of relief at it not being someone who would actually care about formalities, but realizing what she was about to admit to Andy made her catch her breath again. "Andy, hi."

Andy was at his desk, playing with a pen in his hand. "Phoebe and Paige stopped by. Suggested I give you a call," he explained.

"Sisters…" Prue whispered, narrowing her eyes suspiciously and wondering what they really went to Andy about. She pushed the thought away for the time being and focused on Andy. "Yeah, but can we meet? I really don't want to talk over the phone."

Andy chuckled nervously. "Should I be looking forward to this or dreading it?" he asked half-humorously, half-uncertainly.

"Honestly, I don't know, but what are you doing for dinner? An early dinner? Let's say now?" she suggested hopefully. She knew if she waited too long or thought about it too much she could chicken out.

"It's lunchtime…" Andy pointed out casually as Prue's eyes flickered to look at the clock which read 12:35. "… but I'm going to be interviewing a witness in your area around five. I could swing by after," he offered.

Prue's eyes flickered to her door upon hearing someone knocking. She turned slightly away from the phone and called "Yeah?" before turning back to Andy. "Um, here? Uh, I guess that's fine. All right, I'll see you then." Prue hung up and turned to see Tanya with her sandwich cooler as well as Hannah outside her door. "Hey, Tanya," she greeted pleasantly.

"Personal call, Prue?" Hannah guessed mockingly, looking through the sandwiches in Tanya's cooler.

"Personal business, Hannah, and I swear that that's my name on the door," Prue snapped, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Hannah laughed and picked up one of the sandwiches. "Oh, look. Last turkey no mayo. My favorite," she taunted, holding it up for Prue to see. Prue slammed her pen down on her desk and advanced rather quickly toward her.

"Actually, I was saving that for Prue," Tanya spoke up softly with a nervous glance toward Prue.

"Yeah, you were," Hannah agreed, shoving some money into Tanya's hand.

"Don't you hate turkey?" Prue asked suspiciously, stopping a few steps away from Hannah with her arms crossed.

Hannah normally would have lied, but under the influence of the truth spell couldn't. "Of course I do. I just don't want you to have it," she replied, looking stunned at herself for having said it while Tanya stared at her in disbelief.

Prue bit her lip and nodded slightly to herself. "Is there any particular reason why you're such a bitch to me?" Prue wondered slyly, listening intently for her answer.

Unnoticed by Hannah, Rex walked up behind her in time to hear Hannah's reply. "Yes, because it's my mission in life to destroy you." Hannah gasped softly at her blunder while Prue looked thoughtful.

Rex hurried to stop a fight between his two workers. "Well, nothing like a bit of interoffice rivalry to get those competitive juices flowing," he commented cheerfully, appearing relieved when Prue smiled apparently unfazed by Hannah. "Um, Hannah, a word," Rex ordered, pointing toward his office. With a last glare toward Prue, Hannah followed Rex out of her office.

Tanya shrugged her shoulders before turning to leave while Prue watched Hannah and Rex leave with a triumphant smile. At this moment, she was quite happy for casting the truth spell.

~PO4~

Rex followed Hannah into his office where he slammed the door. "What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Rex demanded, advancing toward Hannah.

"I don't know. It-it-it just came out," Hannah stammered, flinching as Rex grabbed her arms and spun her to face him.

"No, it didn't just come out. You almost came out. Am I supposed to believe that all of a sudden you've lost complete control of your faculties," Rex retorted, tightening his grip on her arms.

"No. God, she's just so… so Prue!" Hannah argued, taking several deep breaths to calm herself. "Forgive me," she breathed as Rex pulled away from her.

Rex reached across to his desk to grab a cigar before turning back to Hannah. "Always." Hannah started to back up, but he caught her attention. "Hey." He held his cigar up pointedly and Hannah turned back and blew on it until it lit up and began to smoke. "Go on, get back to work," Rex ordered.


	16. The Truth Is Out There… and It Hurts Part 2

The Truth Is Out There… and It Hurts Part 2

 

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper was in the kitchen stirring a boiling solution that was slowly turning red. She glanced over at the Book of Shadows that lay beside her on the counter and appeared pleased that her first potion seemed to be turning out correctly. As she stirred she felt some serious déjà vu… she remembered back to a time when she was with Grams just before she died. She had helped make something like this before… perhaps not the same thing but similar. After all, why would Grams want a power stripping potion?

"Hey, Pipe! What are you doing?" Paige spoke up curiously, causing Piper to jump in surprise as her baby sister suddenly orbed in beside her.

Piper hastily slammed the Book of Shadows closed and vainly tried to fight off the urge to tell the truth. Stupid truth spell. "I'm making a Power Stripping Potion," she answered, flinching at her own words.

Paige narrowed her eyes in confusion but instead of probing for more information she made her way to the book. She noticed the marked page and flipped it open to find the power stripping potion.

Piper guiltily avoided Paige's wide brown eyes as her baby sister read the description. "Alright, so I'm not going to force you to tell me so I'm not going to ask a question, but I really want to know why you're making this," Paige stated nervously. Her eyes flickered to the now blood-red liquid in the Wiccan pot that they usually kept in the attic.

Piper bit her lip, not really wanting to explain to Paige about Prue. She almost felt like it was betraying her elder sister to speak of last night's conversation. "I- I don't really know how to explain," Piper finally whispered, her chocolate brown eyes meeting Paige's.

"Okay, I know you don't usually talk to me about stuff and you usually go to Prue, but I'm a sister too. I can listen," Paige pointed out mildly. She could tell Piper needed to speak to someone and for whatever reason, couldn't spill to Prue.

"I didn't mark the page… Prue did," Piper began slowly. Paige's eyes widened and she just barely caught herself before she asked 'why.' She wanted Piper to explain on her own terms so she forced herself to keep silent, just prompting Piper to continue with a slight nod. "She didn't tell me to make it, but I know she doesn't want to give up Andy for this. I know if we asked her to she would give him up… for us. But I don't want her to do that…"

"So you're going to give her the potion after you're certain of Andy's reaction and let her know that she does have a choice," Paige finished with a nod of understanding. There was a moment of silence during which Piper poured some of the dark red liquid into a vial she had found in the attic. "If she chooses that… where does that leave us?" Paige whispered.

Piper shrugged. "I honestly don't know, but… we'll make it work out. We Halliwells are notorious for getting ourselves out of hopeless situations," she replied, trying to lighten the mood with her last comment.

It had the desired effect and the youngest Halliwell sister laughed softly. "I guess we are pretty good at that," Paige agreed. "I don't want her to give up Andy… but I don't want her to leave us either," Paige admitted with a slight frown. "Does that sound selfish?"

"No, but if it is, I guess we'll be selfish together. Let's just hope Andy is okay with it. Then we won't have to worry about this little potion," Piper answered, holding up the vial so Paige could see it.

Paige nodded and looked out toward the Foyer where she could see Leo working on the staircase and smiled, recognizing a much more cheerful topic. "So, Leo's over there and Phoebe's backed off…" she began, giving Piper a pointed look.

"Nope, don't even go there, Paige," Piper countered with a shake of her head.

"Why? You don't have anything to lose. I mean, if it doesn't work out than he won't even remember it," Paige retorted lightly. When Piper still shook her head, Paige just grinned mischievously and left toward the Foyer, leaving an anxious Piper behind her. 

Paige glanced around for the handyman and upon seeing him, headed straight for him. As she passed, pretending to try and get up the stairs, she 'accidently' hit him in the shoulder. The coffee in his hand spilled all over his shirt. "Oh, I'm so sorry," Paige apologized, a sparkle in her eyes. "I- I'll go get a towel," she offered, hurrying up the steps and praying Leo would make his way to the kitchen to get paper towels instead of waiting on her to come back.

Leo opened his mouth the assure Paige that it was okay, but the youngest Halliwell sister had already disappeared up the stairs. He glanced around and, just as Paige had predicted, made his way to the kitchen and Piper.

Piper was now on the phone with Martin as she washed out the pot she had used to make the potion. "Martin, I can't work tonight, I have to do the books." Silence as she listens to other line. "Do the books and run the floor? That's impossible." More silence. "But you don't understa—Right now? I'm on my way." Piper hung up and slammed the phone down. "Nice talking to you too, jerk," she muttered, looking up to see Leo come in, the front of his shirt soaked.

"Hey, I had a little bit of an accident. Do you mind if I borrow your washer?" he wondered while Piper hastily dropped the Book of Shadows under the sink and hid the Wiccan pot under a bunch of clean dishes.

"No, not at all. Go right ahead. Can I get you some coffee?" she offered, taking a few steps forward. She was pretty sure her little sister had something to do with this… that mischievous grin of hers always meant trouble.

"Ah, you better not. I'll just wind up knocking it all over again," he laughed, beginning to head toward the washer and dryer room. "Truth is, caffeine makes me a little clumsy, you know." Leo turned to walk away.

Piper hastily took several steps after him, for whatever reason, not willing to let him go just yet. Maybe Paige was right. "Leo, wait," she called hopefully.

Leo turned back around curiously. "Yeah?" he asked cheerfully.

"Can I ask you a question?" Piper wondered, playing nervously with her hands.

"Sure," Leo allowed, falling silent as he waited for Piper to ask something.

Piper bit her lip, chickening out again. "Do you need another shirt?" she finally offered, unable to come up with something else to ask.

Leo smiled at the offer but declined. "No, I got one in the truck, thanks." He started to leave again when Piper stopped him again.

"Leo, wait… that wasn't my question," she called after him and Leo turned once again to face her.

He chuckled softly but looked a little confused. "It wasn't?"

Piper shook her head slightly. "No." She took a deep breath to calm herself before forcing herself to continue. "I was just wondering… do you ever think of me?"

"Yeah," Leo answered immediately.

Piper held her breath nervously but smiled hopefully. "In what way? As a friend sorta way or…?" she trailed off when Leo began to reply.

"You have beautiful eyes," he commented and Piper let out a breath of relief.

So far so good. "That's a good way," she laughed.

Leo smiled, but looked embarrassed at having admitted it. "I'm sorry. That was totally inappropriate, wasn't it?" he apologized.

"No, not at all…" Piper began, but trailed off, getting tired of dancing around the question. "Ah, what the hell… Leo, how do you feel about women who make the first move?" she asked, using every ounce of confidence she ever had.

Leo shrugged after a moment of thinking about it. "I don't know, I'm still waiting for it to happen."

"Goodness," Piper whispered to herself before closing the few feet between them and pulling Leo into a kiss. After a moment she pulled away trying to study his reaction.

"Uh, how do you feel about guys who make the second move?" he laughed.

"Love 'em," Piper allowed, feeling his arms wrap around her and pull her back toward him. She was pulled into a passionate kiss with the man she had fought Phoebe for. She had fought Phoebe and she had won.

Paige giggled from where she was watching the whole encounter, but after feeling that she had accomplished everything here, orbed out to meet Phoebe, leaving Leo and Piper alone in the Manor.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

rue shifted from foot to foot in her impatience with waiting for the elevator. She had been standing here, at least five minutes waiting for the thing to get up here. Unnoticed by her, Phoebe and Paige came up behind Prue from the stairs. Prue's eyes flickered to rest on Rex as he came around the corner. "Hi, Rex," she greeted politely.

Rex glanced over and changed direction to meet Prue. "Hello, Prue. How are you?" he asked just as politely.

"I'm a nervous wreck because I'm about to tell my boyfriend that I'm a wi…" she replied immediately, but was broken off when her two sisters came up and grabbed her from behind. Prue jumped slightly but it had the desired effect of stopping her from saying anything.

"…ner. A winner," Phoebe finished after Rex gave them a curious look. "She is a real catch, this one is," she laughed exchanging a glance with Paige, who had her arms wrapped around her big sister's shoulders and a wide, innocent smile plastered across her face. "I'm Phoebe, her sister. We've met, remember?" she quickly changed the subject and held her hand out for Rex to shake.

Rex smiled and nodded. "Yeah, how could I forget?" he joked, taking her hand before looking over at Paige. "So, uh, which sister are you?"

Paige raised her eyebrows curiously. "How do you know I'm a sister?"

"The family resemblance is… shocking to say the least," Rex answered, taking Paige's hand and politely shaking it.

Paige smiled gratefully before replying. "Paige, I'm Paige," she offered while Prue gently pulled both her sisters in the direction of her office before Rex could ask them something detrimental to them.

"Let's go to my office," Prue suggested, waving farewell to Rex and pulling them a little more forcefully from her boss.

Phoebe opened her mouth to say something when they made it out of earshot, but Paige beat her to it. Paige appeared to be about to burst with excitement. "Whatever you have to say, mine is more important!" she announced dramatically, receiving a disbelieving look from Phoebe and curious look from Prue.

"I hate to be the bearer of smashing your excitement, but it can't be more important than saving an innocent," Phoebe pointed out, but she, also, looked curious when her comment did nothing to faze Paige.

Paige grinned and let a moment of silence to fill between them to make her declaration more dramatic. "How about Piper and Leo making out in the Manor?" she finally exclaimed.

"No way!" Phoebe practically yelled in her excitement.

"Are you sure? Details! We need details!" Prue begged, all three sisters stopping in the middle of the hallway, turning to the youngest for the latest gossip.

Paige was pushed up against the wall with Prue on one side, blocking her from moving and Phoebe clinging to her, obviously wanting details just as badly as Prue. "Okay, so we were at the Manor and I was trying to persuade Piper to make a move but she was refusing so I took matters into my own hands. I knocked his coffee all over him and dashed up the stairs. He did exactly as I expected and went to the kitchen where Piper was at. It was so perfect! And Piper actually made the move," Paige explained dramatically while her sisters listened with open mouths. "I left them making out in the kitchen so next time you see her, be sure to ask her how great a kisser Leo is."

"I can't believe you did that!" Phoebe whispered, giggling softly to herself.

"Paige, you're a genius," Prue allowed before realizing several people were standing around watching them. Prue bit her lip, coughed pointedly to gain her sisters' attention, and waved thoughtfully at their audience, causing everyone to turn back to their duties. "Uh, so I heard you guys talked to Andy," she changed the topic, grabbing her sisters by the hand again and pulling them after her to her office.

Phoebe nodded, but was still trying to hold in the giggling. "We sure did. He gave us a list of all the victims. They all died the same way too. The only problem is, they don't have a suspect, which means I have no way of finding…" Phoebe trailed off as Tanya passed by and she recognized her from her premonition. She spun around, pulling her sisters with her. "… Her!"

"Who, her?" Prue wondered, turning around curiously.

"That her?" Paige asked, pointing toward Tanya and cocking her head slightly.

Phoebe nodded to Paige and took several steps toward Tanya. "That's the girl from my premonition!" she announced.

Prue followed her sisters' eyes to rest on Tanya. "Tanya?" she questioned in surprise, exchanging a glance with Paige before they both followed Phoebe.

~PO4~

Tanya got in the elevator, which had just opened up, and stopped next to the warlock, who pressed the 'close elevator' button despite hearing Phoebe's "Hold the elevator." The warlock turned to Tanya. "Excuse me, are you Mrs. Parker? Tanya Parker?" he asked slowly.

Tanya looked up from cleaning her glasses. "Yes," she admitted with a polite smile.

"You have been most difficult to find. Never in the same place, never alone," the warlock pointed out, holding his creepy smile.

Tanya frowned slightly at his words. "Excuse me?"

~PO4~

Back outside the elevator Phoebe was furiously pushing the 'down' button as if it would hurry the elevator up. Prue and Paige were standing behind her exchanging glances.

"Are you sure?" Prue questioned, grabbing hold of Phoebe's hands and pulling her around to face them.

"Yes, and that's the truth," Phoebe replied, her brown eyes wide with worry.

Prue nodded and pulled Phoebe and Paige toward the stairs. "Alright, um, you two take the stairs. I'll call security," she ordered, rushing off to her office while Phoebe and Paige bolted down the stairs.

~PO4~

The warlock was fighting to gain control of a furiously struggling Tanya in the Auction House's parking lot. He finally pulled her glasses off and pushed her up against a car where she couldn't get away.

Phoebe and Paige came out the back and halted upon seeing the struggle. Phoebe reached down and grabbed two glass bottles from a junk pile and took off toward the fight with Paige right behind her.

The warlock's third eye opened up and the laser beam shot out and hit Tanya on the forehead. Thinking quickly, Phoebe ran up behind the warlock and slammed one of the glass bottles over his head which effectively got his attention away from Tanya, who slumped against the car. The warlock turned on Phoebe and Paige who jumped at the sight of his third eye.

"Paige! Get her out of here!" Phoebe ordered, grabbing a stunned Paige and pushing her toward Tanya. "Oh my…" she whispered as he advanced toward her.

Paige didn't need telling twice. She grabbed Tanya and pulled her to her feet. Tanya glanced at Paige gratefully, but pulled away from her grip and ran toward her car with Paige close behind.

Phoebe slammed the warlock in the face with the other bottle and sent him falling to the ground before taking off after her younger sister and innocent. Tanya and Paige were already in the car and Tanya sped off before Phoebe even had time to close the door.

The warlock stood up and watched the car drive away, but turned around as he heard footsteps coming from the building.

Prue came running out in time to see Phoebe and Paige in Tanya's car, driving off. She had two security guys behind her who followed Prue's gaze to the car. All three turned around and made their way back inside where Prue could at least call her sisters and make sure everything was okay.

The warlock watched Prue turn and leave, recognizing her as being with the other two women outside the elevator. He knew she would know where they would hide the innocent and, with that in mind, he followed her back into Bucklands.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe and Paige led Tanya into the Conservatory of the Manor where she sat down on the couch and asked immediately for the phone to call her husband. Phoebe went off to get the first aid kit out of Prue and Piper's bathroom while Paige ran up to Piper's room where she had last seen the family cell phone residing so she could call Piper at Quake.

Tanya was on the phone when Phoebe came back with all their first aid objects. "Honey, I'm fine. There's no reason to fly back early. I'm, um, staying with friends," she was explaining, but gave Phoebe a semi-nervous glance as Phoebe came over and sat beside her. "I'll explain it all when you get home," Tanya promised quickly.

"Kids? Do you have any kids?" Phoebe demanded softly as she poured hydrogen peroxide on a cotton ball.

Tanya pulled slightly away from the phone before answering. "Not yet."

Phoebe turned away before another thought struck her. "Pets?" she wondered.

"No," Tanya answered before turning back to her husband on the phone. "I love you too," she replied and hung up, passing the phone back to Phoebe, who sat it down on the table in front of her. "Um, before I can explain any of this to my husband, you're gonna have to explain it to me. What is going on?"

Phoebe didn't answer right away as she was dabbing at Tanya's burn with the peroxide. "Short story: you're in danger and to keep you out of it, we're gonna have to keep you away from the obvious places, which is why you have to stay here," Phoebe explained quickly.

"But what was that thing?!" Tanya exclaimed.

Phoebe frowned at the question. "Truth spell…" she muttered with a roll of her eyes. "That thing… was a demon," Phoebe answered softly, trying not to spook her.

Tanya's eyes widened and she stared at Phoebe as if she thought she was crazy. "I'm outta here," Tanya decided, getting up from the couch and heading towards the front door.

Phoebe jumped up off the couch and followed her. "No, Tanya, he's killed before," she warned, coming around the side of the couch so that she intercepted Tanya. "Trust me. Call the cops. Check it out. That burn on your forehead, that's how he does it," she continued, now that Tanya had stopped to hear her out. "I've seen it. Okay, I have visions, visions of people that I'm supposed to help." Tanya rolled her eyes and proceeded to move around Phoebe. Phoebe frowned and decided a more direct approach might be best. "I've seen his next victim. It's you." Just like she had suspected, Tanya halted and slowly turned to face Phoebe again. "There are no coincidences. I was supposed to see you, to find you. And now I'm supposed to save you."

~PO4~

Quake

In the kitchen of the popular restaurant, delivery guys were moving through and cooks were rushing everywhere trying to keep up with the orders that were coming in. Piper had just rushed to the phone after directing another delivery guy to the correct storage area.

"Romaine, in fridge three," she ordered, while listening to her youngest sister on the other line. "Paige, you have her there? At the house? No, I understand we have to protect the innocent, but couldn't you find one that makes a decent béarnaise sauce? My kitchen is collapsing!" Piper fretted, pacing back and forth around the cord as she watched the kitchen getting increasingly disorganized. "I gotta go. I'll be there as soon as I can," she promised, quickly hanging up and hurrying after Martin, who had just walked by. She forced a smile and a falsely cheery voice as she reached him. "Martin, hi, just the man I wanted to…"

"I made a list, you better check it twice. I'll be back after the dinner rush," Martin cut her off and tossed her the notepad. Without waiting for a response he started to turn away.

"Um, but I have a family situation," Piper spoke up before he had time to leave.

Martin turned to look back at her curiously. "So you'd like to take off, go home, take care of business?" he asked.

Piper smiled gratefully and hastily began to undo her apron. "Thank you, Martin, for understanding," she answered, folding the apron over her arm and grabbing at her purse.

"Oh, don't thank me. Because the answer's no," Martin countered, rolling his eyes at Piper.

Piper ground her teeth in frustration, her patience with her boss running thin. "Alright, Martin. What part of 'family situation' do you not understand? Are you insane? No one person can do all of this. How do you expect me to do it all alone?" she demanded, her voice rising a higher pitch.

"Because I know you will," Martin replied immediately with a shrug of his shoulders.

Piper appeared stunned for a moment at the sudden confession. "What?"

"Why spend money on more employees when I know you'll do it? And you won't complain. I got a bargain. All the work for half the price," he continued, suddenly looking confused as to why he had actually admitted it to her. "Piper, I don't know why I just said that."

Piper's eyes narrowed in understanding. "Too late, Martin. Truth's out and so am I. You don't deserve me. I quit," she snapped, pushing her apron and the notepad into his hands.

She spun and walked out without a backward glance, leaving him speechless.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue walked fairly quickly from the room she had just had a meeting in to meet Andy, acutely aware that she was late… as usual. Behind her, the warlock came around another corner preparing to confront her in her office about the two women that had stopped him from killing his victim.

Prue pushed the door open and smiled upon seeing Andy waiting. "Andy, hi," she greeted automatically while the warlock halted at hearing there was another person in the room.

He turned and walked away until another time.

"Hello, Prue," Andy answered, turning around to see Prue closing her office door behind her.

Prue walked around the chairs set up in her office to stop in front of Andy. "I'm so sorry I'm late. My meeting ran over," she apologized.

Andy smiled in understanding and shrugged it off. "Your assistant said I could wait here. I hope that's okay."

"Yeah, of course. Can I get you anything? Something to drink?" Prue rambled nervously. She was already picking at her cuticles and avoiding eye contact with Andy, half the time.

Andy shook his head quickly. "I'm fine," he assured her and recognizing her nervous habits smiled a little. "How are you?" he questioned.

"A nervous wreck," Prue admitted through the truth spell. She frowned after having said it, but decided to change the subject away from her. "You?"

"Heart's pounding like a sledgehammer," Andy laughed before coughing softly to try and appear as calm as he usually did. He looked away from her and took a seat on the other side of Prue's desk.

Prue played with her hands for a moment as Andy got comfortable, her plan for breaking the news to him flying away in her nervousness. "Uh, so Andy, how well do you think you really know me?" she wondered, biting her lip slightly.

Andy looked confused at the question. After all, they had known each other since they were two, they had been best friends all through school, more than that most of high school, but then he remembered all the things he didn't know, like where she disappeared off to all the time. "Well, I know about your fondness for twizzlers, how you can't stand it when people talk at the previews, how you like to argue to win, and how you pick your cuticles when you're nervous," he began with a pointed glance toward Prue's hands.

Suddenly realizing she was picking her cuticles she self-consciously slammed her hand tight against her desk as he continued. "I, also, know I'd love to start seeing you again. I wish you could trust me enough to tell me whatever it is you're afraid of."

Prue hesitated a moment, realizing she couldn't back out now. "Well, actually, that's what I wanted to see you about. Except that instead of telling you, I think I'll just show you, so here goes." Prue took a deep breath and pointed to a pyramidal artifact on her desk. "See this?" she asked receiving a nod from Andy. "Watch," she ordered before narrowing her eyes and sending the artifact moving across her desk.

Andy jumped out of his seat nervously, but laughed to cover it up. "What the hell is that?" he laughed, backing up a few steps.

Prue smiled at his reaction, but it faded pretty quickly when she had to answer his question. "My secret… I did that with my mind," she explained.

Andy's eyes flickered from the artifact to Prue, pondering what she had just admitted. "You're telekinetic?" He asked with a half-smile.

"Yes," Prue answered immediately, but decided she needed to explain a bit more for him to understand. "Well, actually it's so much more than that. I'm a witch."

Andy laughed again, thinking she was joking, but looking into her eyes, he realized she wasn't. "A what?" he questioned, trying to process everything she was telling him.

Prue frowned, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. "A good witch. I have powers. I never wanted them. I didn't even find out about them until recently… Right about the time I ran into you again," she trailed off when Andy appeared a little overwhelmed and disbelieving. Same day actually. "Okay, you know all those times that I disappeared or would show up at a crime scene with no logical explanation? This is why. And believe me, I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't. I couldn't tell anyone," Prue finished. Andy was speechless, unsure of how to handle the information just revealed. "Are- are you okay?" Prue prompted, sounding a little worried at his silence.

Andy smiled slightly, but appeared at a loss. "I don't know. I mean, of all the things I thought you were hiding, this was actually nowhere on the list," he explained with a nervous chuckle. Prue nodded in understanding, looking away from his eyes. "Does this mean Piper and Phoebe and Paige are…?" he began to ask.

"Yeah. We inherited our powers from Mom and Grams." Prue replied, guessing his question as she made her way to sit down behind her desk.

"So, when you have kids…?" Andy wondered hesitantly.

"If they're girls, yes," Prue answered automatically.

Andy thought that over a moment before taking his seat back in front of Prue. "Wow, that's uh, that's quite a secret you've been hiding," he commented slowly.

"Tell me about it," Prue agreed with a half-smile.

Andy leaned forward to ask the question that had been nagging at him since she had admitted everything. "Can you change? I mean, is it something you can get rid of?" he asked. He didn't want to be rude, but couldn't figure out a better way to word the question.

Prue flinched ever-so-slightly at the question even though she knew he had good intentions with it. It was hard enough for her to come to terms with herself without having her childhood friend and high school sweetheart practically say they didn't like how you are. She was silent for several moments, having had this conversation with herself over and over last night. "No, Andy. I can't change who I am. And that's something I've recently come to accept. The question is, can you?" she finally answered.

Andy hesitated before replying. "To tell you the truth… I don't know, Prue. I honestly don't know."

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper made her way back into the Solarium, where Phoebe and Tanya waited, carrying a tray of tea and snacks for their guest. She sat the tray down on the wicker table in front of them while Tanya flipped through the Book of Shadows for the demon and Phoebe supervised out of curiosity.

Phoebe looked up at Piper as she backed away into a chair across from Phoebe and beside Tanya. "Did Prue talk to Andy?" she wondered curiously.

"She didn't say," Piper replied, turning to look at Tanya. "Did you find anything in the Book of Shadows?"

Tanya glanced up for a moment to meet Piper's eyes before flipping another page. "Nothing I recognize," she admitted with a slight frown.

Piper sighed as she fiddled with the tea. "So, Andy said the third victim was a professor at Stanford? What's the link?" she asked as she poured a cup of tea that Tanya gratefully took.

"He thinks it has something to do with what they're working on. Biogenetics," Phoebe answered with a slight nod while Tanya listened curiously to the conversation trying to figure out how she fit into all this.

"A professor, a geneticist, a lab technician…" Piper listed off, but Tanya broke her train of thought.

"And a sandwich girl? Do you really think he's after me?" Tanya questioned in disbelief.

Phoebe leaned forward slightly and bit her lip despite knowing that it wouldn't keep her from replying. "Uh oh, truth spell," she muttered before placing her hand on Tanya's knee in a comforting gesture. She was immediately pulled into a premonition.

Tanya was sitting in a rocking chair holding a baby and gently rocking it back and forth.

The premonition faded and Phoebe noticed Tanya staring at her in confusion. Instead of rushing to explain Phoebe turned to Piper with a forced smile on her face as she suddenly understood. "Piper, we need milk. Kitchen," she ordered, pulling her elder sister to the kitchen and leaving Tanya flipping through the book. As soon as they were in the kitchen Phoebe spun on Piper. "She's carrying," Phoebe explained to Piper's puzzled expression.

"Carrying what?" Piper asked, tilting her head to the side questioningly.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and laughed softly. "A baby. She's pregnant."

"Oh!" Piper realized, beginning to head back toward Tanya and give congratulations.

Phoebe reached out and grabbed Piper's shoulder, stopping her from walking off. "No, no, no. She doesn't know yet," she added.

Piper's eyes widened and she suddenly looked indecisive. "What do we do? Do we tell her? I mean, we protect. We don't do prenatal," Piper pointed out.

Phoebe was already shaking her head. "No, this is not the kind of information Tanya needs right now. Especially from people she just met, who are telling her that some threeeyed demon wants to suck the life out of her," Phoebe decided, trailing off as she just thought of something. "Suck the life out of her… wait a minute, is it possible that it's not Tanya he wants. That it's her baby?" she wondered aloud.

Piper narrowed her eyes thoughtfully but didn't appear convinced. "How would he know she's pregnant?"

"I don't know, maybe he sees the future too." Phoebe suggested, turning away from Piper as she pondered the idea. "Or else he's from it…" she realized, the pieces of the puzzle clicking together.

"Excuse me?" Piper demanded uncertainly.

"The button. The police found a button by one of the last victims made of some kind of funky metal they'd never seen before," Phoebe began quickly.

Piper stared at her in confusion. "Rewind," she pleaded.

"Okay, there's a button that's not supposed to exist, a demon that the Book of Shadows says doesn't exist, and a baby no one knows exists. You got a better explanation?" Phoebe questioned, turning on Piper.

Piper now appeared thoughtful of her younger sister's suggestion. "Even if you're right, how do we find him?"

"Well, he wants Tanya, he'll find us," Phoebe replied confidently.

"He doesn't know where we are," Piper countered, crossing her arms across her chest.

Phoebe shrugged the point away. "Well, he found Tanya at Bucklands, he saw Paige and me with…." Phoebe trailed off, her eyes widening in horror at her sudden realization. Piper raised her eyebrows curiously as Phoebe dropped her head into her hands. "… With Prue."

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue sat at her desk, her thoughts with Andy though he had left several hours before. She didn't know what to think about his reaction. She couldn't really blame him and so she almost felt… guilty? Guilty that this part of her was stopping their relationship that she so desperately wanted. How was that fair? Her thoughts were interrupted by Hannah who had stopped just outside her door.

"Hey, last one out gets the lights. I'm, uh, going home," she laughed awkwardly. "So, lock up when you leave?"

Prue gave the slightest of nods. "Sure," Prue agreed shortly.

Hannah turned to leave, but slowly looked back at Prue. "Um, Prue. About what I said earlier…" she began.

"Now isn't a good time," Prue snapped. Her boyfriend was probably going to kick her to the sidewalk so she really didn't need a co-worker downing her as well.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry," Hannah apologized softly.

Prue narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "But you wouldn't really mean that would you?" Prue asked pointedly.

Hannah snorted and shook her head. "No!" she replied, once again at a loss for why she had admitted to it. Without another word she turned and left, leaving Prue alone in her office. The elevator door had just closed, taking Hannah with it, when the warlock came around the corner, heading straight for Prue's office.

As soon as Hannah had left, Prue began to gather her stuff together finally realizing how late it was getting.

The warlock stopped just in the doorway, watching Prue silently for several moments before actually speaking. "Excuse me, are you Ms. Halliwell? Prue Halliwell?" he asked. Prue glanced up as he spoke, tilting her head curiously. "Yes, um, did we have an appointment?" she wondered. She couldn't remember having one, but she'd been so caught up with thoughts of Andy all day she wouldn't be surprised if she had forgotten.

"No, actually, I'm looking for someone and I believe you can help me," he explained, slowly approaching her desk.

"I find objects, not people," Prue countered, turning her full attention to him now that it appeared he wouldn't be leaving.

The warlock chuckled softly. "Well, I think you might know them. I saw you talking to them earlier. Um, petite, brown hair, one had lighter hair than the other. The three of you were over by the elevator," he continued, taking several more steps toward her.

Prue stared at him suspiciously, wondering why he would want her sisters. She had a sinking feeling that this guy was the demon they had been looking for. "I don't remember,"

Prue lied casually.

"Are you sure?" he asked in disbelief.

"What do you want with them?" Prue demanded, taking several steps back.

"They're hiding the woman I was sent back to kill," the warlock answered immediately. He frowned at his confession and glared at Prue suspiciously.

Prue's eyes were narrowed in determination. "Sent back from where?" she questioned, taking advantage of the truth spell while it was still around.

"From the future," the warlock replied, trying to choke back the words. "What are you doing?" he yelled, running toward her.

Prue jumped out of his reaching range. "Why kill Tanya?" Prue continued the interrogation fearlessly.

"I don't want Tanya. I want what's inside her," he reluctantly explained. "No!" he roared turning away from Prue and trying desperately to keep from spilling more information.

"And the others? Why kill them?" Prue asked.

The warlock was leaning against a table next to Prue's desk his hands clenching the table as if it would stop him from speaking. "They're all pieces of the puzzle. Pieces of the vaccine," he answered, turning again toward her. "Stop this!" the warlock ordered, slamming his fists on her desk and running toward her.

Prue didn't have time to move away before he had bore down upon her. He grabbed her arms and slammed her into the wall, one hand on her neck. He slowly applied pressure so that Prue was gasping for breath.

"Paige," she breathed. Prue didn't know why she had called for her baby sister, but she felt that if she called, someone would come. Sure enough behind the warlock she saw the familiar blue and white lights as her baby sister appeared in the middle of her office.

Paige's eyes widened at the scene in front of her and she quickly looked around for something to throw that wouldn't hurt Prue. "Lamp!" she called and the lamp on Prue's desk disappeared until it slammed into the back of the warlocks head.

In surprise, he let go of Prue and turned toward the younger sister. He recognized her as one of the ones that had taken Tanya from him. Forgetting about Prue he headed straight for Paige.

Prue gasped for breath, one hand flying to her throat. She saw the warlock heading toward Paige and narrowed her eyes at her desk. Her desk flew off from the ground and pushed him up against the wall.

Paige had orbed out so that both the desk and the warlock went through her. She immediately ran toward Prue, who, still struggling to catch her breath, grabbed hold of Paige's hand and pulled her out of the office. Prue led the way toward the stairs. The desk didn't stop the warlock but for a moment and he was off after the two Halliwell sisters.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper was in the kitchen on the phone, calling Prue for the second time. "Answer. Come on, Prue. Pick up," she pleaded just before the answering machine clicked on. Piper sighed and hung up, turning to face Phoebe who was watching nervously. "There's no answer. It's after five. It's going straight to voice mail," Piper explained, slamming the phone down on the counter.

"Where is Paige?" Phoebe asked quickly.

"I sent her to Tanya's to pick up some stuff since it looked like she was going to have to stay here tonight," Piper replied, running a hand through her long brown hair.

Phoebe frowned but nodded slightly. "Then you have to go to Bucklands," she decided.

Piper nodded in agreement. "Okay, I'll grab the keys, you grab Tanya," Piper suggested, heading toward the spot where they hung the keys up.

Phoebe took several steps toward her, shaking her head. "No, you have to go. You can call Paige on the way, but if we bring Tanya with us and he's there, it's like bringing the feast to the lion and she can't stay here by herself," Phoebe explained carefully.

"But I need you, Phoebe. We need you," Piper argued, her eyes widening slightly at the thought of going by herself.

"I can't always be the power of four," Phoebe countered softly.

Piper was still frowning at the plan. "But what if he comes here and you're all alone?" Piper fretted, biting her lip at the thought.

"We'll be in the attic with the book," Phoebe decided.

Piper hesitated, but realized her younger sister was right and she had a horrible feeling she needed to hurry. "Alright, be careful," she agreed reluctantly, giving Phoebe a quick hug before heading out the door.

"You too," Phoebe whispered, watching her elder sister leave without her.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue pushed the door to the stairs open and Paige and she bolted down them, acutely aware of the warlock that was following. "All the way down," Prue hissed to her baby sister that was slightly ahead of her.

Paige gave the slightest of nods, only stopping when the door at the end was locked. She desperately tried to fight it open to no avail. Prue narrowed her eyes at the door and it shot open, nearly throwing Paige to the floor.

"Sorry, sis," Prue whispered, pulling Paige into the storage room after her. "Look, just stay down," Prue added, pointing toward a good place for her sister hide in the dark room.

"I don't think this is a good idea…" Paige breathed, but nonetheless followed her sister's orders and hid in the corner around a bunch of artifacts. She recognized her eldest sister's plan. As soon as the warlock comes in and passes her, start throwing things. She watched silently as Prue dashed off farther into the storage room, pushing up against a wall as the warlock came in.

The warlock stopped just inside the door, looking carefully around for either of the Halliwell sisters. "I've got eight and a half months to find Tanya, Miss Halliwell. Yours, however, has run out," he called through the silent storage room. He slowly walked down an aisle, his eyes flickering around the room. The warlock grinned as he heard the sound of a ring tone begin to go off and turned in that direction.

Paige glanced down as the cell phone went off. "Damn it, Piper," she muttered, rejecting the call and hastily turning it off.

~PO4~

Piper glared at Prue's cell phone when Paige didn't answer the family cell as if it was the phone's fault. She ran into Prue's office, only to pull to a sudden halt at seeing the mess in the room. Her eyes flickered to land on Prue's purse that lay on the ground. "Prue?" she called softly, closing her eyes and trying to find where her eldest sister was. "Oh no… Storage room," Piper murmured to herself, taking off for the stairs that Prue and Paige had just run down.

~PO4~

The warlock continued to approach Paige's hiding spot, smirking at their attempt to get away. "You can't hide from me forever," he pointed out, a hint of laughter in his voice. Prue flinched at the sound of the cell phone and knew immediately what had happened. She knew the warlock would be bearing down on Paige any minute now. She narrowed her eyes in determination and jumped out from where she was hiding, effectively gaining the warlock's attention on her instead of her baby sister. She breathed a sigh of relief when he passed by Paige and headed toward her. "What's the vaccine for? What does it protect against?" she demanded in an attempt to keep his attention.

The warlock laughed at the question and advanced toward the eldest Halliwell. "Against me, of course, and all other warlocks like me in the future," he answered calmly.

Paige re-situated so that she could see through the artifacts, ready to jump out and throw something at the warlock. She just needed to wait for the right moment.

"The Parker child will be the one to bring together all the elements to create the vaccine which will destroy us. Unless I stop him," the warlock continued.

Prue narrowed her eyes, but was stunned when nothing happened. Her power didn't stop him and now he had reached out for her once again.

"Statue… thing!" Paige called, jumping out behind the warlock. A smallish statue disappeared from its stand and reappeared, flying toward the warlock and hitting him in the head.

The warlock gritted his teeth and turned to face Paige. His third eye opened and a laser beam shot out and hit the rack of artifacts behind her. The blast from the small explosion sent Paige rolling into the wall.

"Paige!" Prue screamed, trying to get around the warlock to reach her little sister, but he grabbed hold of her arm and pushed her up against the wall as he had done before in her office. This time though, he was going to end it quicker. Prue's eyes widened in fear at the third eye and she desperately tried to pull his hands off her neck and free herself.

Piper came bolting around the corner of the storage room, looking quickly around for her sisters. Her eyes landed on Paige first, who appeared unconscious, but flickered up to find the warlock holding Prue. Her eyes narrowed in anger and she shot her hands out, freezing the warlock. She ran up, grabbed a crowbar off some boxes, and used it to pry the warlock's hands off Prue. "Hey, need a hand?" she joked, breaking his grip.

"Yeah," Prue admitted, hastily running to get behind Piper. The two eldest Halliwells looked over at Paige as she rolled over, looking disoriented, but unhurt.

"Ugh," Paige groaned, reaching her hands up for her sisters to pull her up.

Piper walked over and grabbed her hands. "He's not after Tanya, he's after her baby. She's pregnant," Piper explained what Phoebe had deduced as she hoisted Paige to her feet.

"I know," Prue replied, one hand on her neck as the three sisters moved a bit farther away from the warlock.

Paige's brown eyes flickered from one sister to the other in confusion. "Wait, what?" she demanded.

"We'll fill you in later," Prue promised, her eyes on the warlock trying to figure out the best way to vanquish him. "Where's Phoebe?" she asked, thinking along the lines of the power of four.

Piper looked confused as to how Prue knew about Tanya, but shrugged it away at the newest concern. "At home protecting Tanya," she answered quickly.

"Well, Piper, just whack him," Paige suggested, looking pointedly at the crowbar in Piper's hand. Prue was nodding furiously in agreement.

Piper looked as if the thought was barbaric. "No! Can't you move him?" she snapped, tossing the crowbar into Prue's hands.

"Move him where? He's from the future," Prue argued.

"Prue, he's gonna unfreeze soon!" Piper pointed out, glancing nervously in his direction.

"Paige, orb him into a volcano or something," Prue suggested hastily while Paige stared at the warlock in disgust.

"No way. I'm not orbing him anywhere!" Paige countered, backing away from her two elder sisters.

Prue rolled her eyes and pushed the crowbar back into Piper's hands. "Piper, just do it!"

"No, you do it," Piper hissed, pushing it back.

"No, do it! Piper!" Prue ordered.

The warlock unfroze and spun to face the three Halliwell sisters. Paige screamed and orbed out while Prue and Piper, both hands on the crowbar each, spun and thrust it in his third eye in their surprise and fear. The warlock screamed and pulled it out, revealing a bright blue glow before he fell over, dead. Paige had orbed back in and was holding tightly onto Prue as a huge tornado-like time tunnel came and sucked up the warlock's body. It disappeared as suddenly as it had come, leaving Prue, Piper, and Paige speechless.

"I love it when they clean up after themselves," Prue finally commented after several long moments of silence.

"Oh, that was so scary," Paige whispered, still clinging onto Prue while Piper laughed nervously.

~PO4~

Outside Andy's Apartment

Prue waited outside the door to Andy's apartment, nervously pacing back and forth until he came around the corner holding a large bag. She stepped up to meet him as he  
approached and pulled his keys out.

"Prue," Andy greeted pleasantly.

"Andy, I need to know how you feel about what I told you," Prue explained, playing with her hands as she held her breath for his answer.

Andy moved around her to get to his door. "I'm going to need a little more time," he replied, slipping his keys into the lock of the door.

"I don't have time, Andy. I need to know before eight," Prue argued.

Andy looked over her curiously as he pushed the door open. "Well, why don't you come inside and we'll talk about it," he suggested, nodding for her to go in first.

Prue bit her lip and backed up a step. "I can't."

"Prue…" Andy muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"Andy, no. Look if I come inside we'll have drinks, there will be small talk, and precious minutes will pass. I need to know now. Can you or can you not accept that I am a witch?"

Andy was silent as he thought over what he had come up with so far. "If I have to answer right now… I don't think so, Prue. I mean, there's nothing wrong with it I guess. It's just not a future I envision having," he finally decided. In the background Prue heard the chime of a clock as it struck eight. Andy looked at her in confusion trying to remember what was going on. "What were we just talking about?" he asked after not being able to remember it himself.

Prue looked at her hands as she felt the tears well in her eyes. "You don't remember?" she whispered.

"Honestly, no," Andy admitted.

"You don't remember anything you've said to me in the last twenty four hours?" Prue pressed.

Andy thought back, but couldn't remember anything of this day. "No, it's really weird," he laughed softly until he looked Prue over more carefully. Her eyes filled with tears that she was stubbornly holding back. 

"You wanna come inside?" he offered gently.

Prue reached up and wiped a stray tear away. "Um, no. I have to go," she breathed, taking a step toward him and lightly kissing him one last time. "Goodbye, Andy." Prue turned away before she could fall apart, leaving Andy to stare in stunned silence as she turned the corner. Prue leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor, letting her tears fall freely. Her hand clenched the vial that was in her jacket pocket. She pulled it out and glanced over the blood-red potion that Piper had given her. Prue narrowed her eyes in determination and pushed herself to her feet. She quickly walked outside, undoing the cap of the vial as she went.

Quake

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were sitting at table, thinking of all the hellish events of the day. Phoebe tried to wave over a waiter, who ignored her and walked past. "Excuse me, hello? What good is saving the future if I can't get a glass of water in the present?" Phoebe demanded, turning on Piper and Paige.

"Speaking of the future… where did Tanya go?" Piper wondered curiously.

Paige and Phoebe both pointed to the bathroom. "Oh, she went to the bathroom. Morning sickness," Phoebe replied.

"Except she thinks it's the halibut," Paige laughed, while Piper dropped her head in her hands.

"Great, she'll probably sue the restaurant for food poisoning. Will this day never end?" Piper groaned, rubbing her temple, trying to stifle the coming migraine.

Paige glanced down at her watch and turned her wrist so that Phoebe could read the time as well. "Actually, it just did. It's 8:20, the spell is over, the world is a safer place,"

Phoebe assured Piper cheerfully.

Before anything could be said, Martin approached the Halliwell sisters' table, turning on Piper. "Piper, I see you sitting. What is wrong with this picture?" he demanded.

Piper's eyes widened slightly as she realized the spell was really over. "You don't remember?" she asked curiously.

Martin rolled his eyes at Piper. "Remember what? Piper, I need you in the kitchen, pronto. We're down a sous-chef," Martin ordered and turned away without waiting for a response.

Piper sighed and received a sympathetic glance from Paige. "I don't believe it. I finally stand up for myself and quit and he doesn't even remember," she lamented.

"What are you going to do?" Paige wondered curiously. She was hoping that perhaps Piper had learned something from the truth spell.

Piper narrowed her eyes and gave a confident nod to herself. "I'll be right back. I need to remind Martin of something," she decided, getting up from the table and quickly heading toward the kitchen.

"Ooh, you go girl!" Phoebe laughed giving Paige a high-five.

Paige watched Piper leave before turning to look at Phoebe with a thoughtful smile. "I'm going to go too. The truth spell is over. I'm going to meet up with Alex," she explained, receiving a teasing glance from Phoebe.

"Mmmm… should I be expecting you home tonight or should I break the news to Prue and Piper?" Phoebe questioning, her eyes light with laughter.

"I don't think you need expect me home," Paige replied with a grin, grabbing her purse and jacket. She waved goodbye to Phoebe before heading out.

~PO4~

Piper pushed into the kitchen and made straight for her boss. "Martin, we need to talk," she ordered, quickly closing the distance between them.

Martin turned around only to throw an apron at Piper. "Excuse you," he mocked.

Piper ignored him and continued. "I cannot, no I will not do everything. I need help. Your restaurant needs help. You need another manager, a sous-chef, a hostess, and an extra busboy on the weekends. If you will not agree to hire these people, then tell me now and I'll quit," she ranted, crossing her arms defensively.

Martin looked over at her calmly as he stirred some food that was in a pot. "Well, what took you so long? All you had to do was ask," he answered with a shrug.

"Really?" Piper asked in surprise. "I mean, okay. I'll see you tomorrow," Piper decided, tossing the apron back at Martin.

Martin looked as if he was about to protest. "But I-I-I- just…" he began.

"It's my night off," Piper snapped, sending him a glare before spinning around and exiting the kitchen. She pushed the doors open, unaware that Leo was on the other side. In her haste, she accidently hit him in the face with the door. "Oh, Leo, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" she apologized, her eyes wide in a silent apology.

Leo laughed softly at her reaction, his hand moving toward his forehead. "Yeah, I'm fine, just, uh, surprised," he admitted.

"Yeah, me too. What are you doing here?" Piper wondered curiously.

"Uh, well I wanted to see you, I just, um… I have this really strange feeling that I did something that I should apologize for. Did I?" he asked uncertainly, his voice lowering so no one else could hear them.

Piper frowned slightly realizing he didn't remember the day either. She looked a little disappointed, but flashed him a wide smile now that she knew what his response would be.

"No, no. Not at all. Definitely not. Can I buy you a drink?" she offered hopefully. She grinned as he accepted and followed her to a table.

~PO4~

Prue walked up to the entrance to Quake and threw the empty vial into the nearest trash can. She walked in and immediately caught sight of Phoebe sitting by herself at the table. Slowly she approached her younger sister and took a seat next to her.

"Hey," Prue greeted softly.

Phoebe turned to Prue as she sat down. "Hey," she repeated, trying to see if the talk with Andy had gone well or not. It was hard to tell with Prue. "How'd it go?" Phoebe finally prompted.

Prue laughed mirthlessly and shook her head. "Not well," she admitted.

"Oh, Prue, I'm so sorry," Phoebe whispered sympathetically, taking her sister's hand in her own.

"Yeah, me too, but I cast a spell for an answer and I got it. Even if it wasn't the one I wanted," Prue sighed.

Phoebe pulled her chair closer to Prue so as not to be overheard. "Paige told me about the potion…" Phoebe added softly, holding her breath for Prue's answer.

In response, Prue narrowed her eyes at the fork in front of Phoebe. It shot off, landing in Phoebe's hand. "I poured it out…" she explained to Phoebe's quizzical look. Her eyes filled with more tears and she leaned into her sister's embrace as Phoebe pulled her into a comforting hug.


	17. The Witch Is Back (Part 1)

The Witch Is Back

Salem, Massachusetts; 1692

Two men entered the town's jail, heading toward the infamous cells holding the witches during this time of trouble. One man was the turnkey who led the way in and opened the cell holding one of the young witches. The other was an acquaintance to the woman. He was allowed in by the turnkey and the door closed behind him. The young woman, accused of being a witch, turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. Her blue eyes focused on the man, recognition and betrayal shining. "Matthew," she breathed, hoping against hope that he would save her from this fate.

"Hello, Melinda," Matthew greeted, slowly approaching the woman.

Melinda recognized in his eyes that he held no remorse for his actions. He wasn't going to help her so she pushed for answers. "Why? Why did you betray me?" Melinda asked, her voice soft with despair and defeat.

Matthew smiled and looked her over as if the reason was obvious. "You got what you deserved." Was his simple answer.

"So, you've never loved me? All the passion, all the heat?" she whispered in disbelief. She couldn't believe that it had all been a lie. Their meeting, all those nights, the way he had loved her daughter… or so she had thought… it never meant anything to him. Melinda's heart nearly broke at the thought of her young daughter, now alone in a world that wouldn't accept her.

"I had to make you trust me. It was the only way to share your powers," Matthew answered mildly. He crossed his arms, rather enjoying the spectacle before him.

Melinda shook her head, running a hand through her long blonde hair at the revelations. "And so now you have them. So why would you turn me in? You know I'll burn," she pleaded one more time, her hand traveling up to the locket around her neck. The one that Matthew had given her.

"I had to keep my secret," Matthew replied simply with a quick shrug of his shoulders.

Melinda clenched her hand around the locket and broke the chain around her neck with a quick tug. "Well, you can keep your trinkets too," she snapped coldly, tossing the locket at him.

He deftly caught it and looked over it with amusement shining in his eyes at her temper.She really was beautiful when she was angry. "I'll find another witch to give it to," Matthew decided, opening the locket and pulling out a small piece of paper that was kept within it.

"Maybe not." Melinda smiled as the piece of paper Matthew was holding caught fire.

Matthew tossed it quickly to the ground in surprise. "What magic is this?" he demanded, his eyes narrowing dangerously at Melinda.

"I'm taking back the powers you stole from me," Melinda explained harshly as a steady wind picked up and encompassed Matthew.

"Outside of time, outside of gain  
Know only sorrow, know only pain."

She finished chanting, watching as Matthew vainly tried to fight through the windy barrier. She smiled when he was sucked into the locket with no escape unless someone of her ancestry opened it.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Rex Buckland carefully carried a jewelry tray into Prue's empty office and sat it down on her desk. His eyes rested on the locket, which he picked up and fought to open. After a moment of struggling, Prue, followed by Paige, came into the office.

"Rex," Prue greeted in slight surprise as she approached her desk and boss while Paige waited next to the door.

Rex hastily dropped the locket back where it had originally sat and turned toward Prue. "Ah, good morning, Prue. I've, uh, left a few things for you to catalogue. A marvelous shipment from an estate back east," he explained quickly, pointing towards the jewelry that was laid out on Prue's desk.

Prue nodded in understanding as she pulled her jacket off and threw it over her chair. "I'll get right on it," she promised.

"Thanks," Rex offered, turning to leave. He nodded in polite greeting to Paige as he left Prue's office.

Paige smiled and walked forward as soon as Rex left to look over the jewelry out of curiosity. "Sounds like fun," she commented with a hint of sarcasm and a teasing glance toward Prue.

"Don't you know it…." Prue agreed, looking quickly over the jewelry before turning back to Paige. "Oh, the copy machine is to the left. 2 doors down on the right," she directed Paige, who had some copies to make for work.

Paige nodded and grabbed hold of her papers. "Right," she replied after the reminder for her purpose of being here. "I'll be right back," Paige announced, leaving her sister in her office.

Prue watched Paige leave before turning her attention back to the jewelry in front of her. Her eyes focused on the locket. She reached out, picking it up, and it easily opened for her prying fingers. The locket in her hands glowed, a fierce wind picked up in her office, slamming her door shut. Prue jumped slightly, her eyes wide with surprise as Matthew appeared in front of her amidst the wind.

Matthew held his arms out and took a deep refreshing breath. "At last, freedom," he observed with relief. He looked around at his surroundings curiously. "And the world has changed…" Matthew turned to Prue whose eyes kept flickering from Matthew to the locket and back again. "What time is this?"

Prue laughed nervously at the question. "Excuse me?" she asked in confusion.

"Where am I?" Matthew replied, his eyes not leaving Prue.

"Who are you?" Prue countered, beginning to overcome the original shock.

"Matthew Tate," Matthew answered as if it was obvious. Prue still stared at him in confusion and he continued. "… and if you freed me from that locket you are a descendant of Melinda Warren," he added, quickly approaching Prue.

Prue watched him approach and reach out for her. She panicked and used her power to push him away from her. He flew across the room, hit the wall, and fell to the ground.

"Thank you," Matthew responded, taking a moment to catch his breath before pushing himself back to his feet.

Prue bit her lip slightly and nervously backed up a step. "For what?" she demanded softly, her eyes narrowed.

Matthew smiled and took a few steps back toward her. "I tricked you into using your power on me. Now I have it," he explained. Matthew narrowed his eyes and the chair next to Prue, flew up against her, pushing her up against the wall.

Prue gasped as she was flung against the wall and struggled to get away from the chair and the man before her.

Matthew laughed at her vulnerability and 'blinked' out. Prue felt the release and pushed the chair away from her before bolting for the door. She stopped when Matthew blinked in behind her and called out to her. "Behind you witch."

Prue spun back around to face him, trying to back up toward the door. "How did you do that?" Prue questioned as he once again approached her.

"I can share your powers but you can't share mine," he answered cryptically.

"What do you want?" Prue demanded.

Matthew leaned slightly toward her. "I want what Melinda took from me. I want all three powers back," he replied harshly. Matthew grabbed Prue by the arm, forcing it none-toogently behind her back. His other arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up against him. "Defend yourself, stop time," he whispered in her ear.

"I can't," Prue breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper. She felt his grip tighten on her arm as he pulled it back farther causing a sharp pain to shoot through her. She flinched and he, apparently, decided he believed her.

"Ah, so you're not alone. There are others…" Matthew realized.

Behind them the door to Prue's office opened and Paige walked in, oblivious to the struggle. "Okay, Prue. I…" she began, but halted at seeing Matthew with a tight grip on Prue.

"Get your hands off my sister!" Paige snapped, looking around for something good to throw at him.

"I take it, she's one of them." Matthew decided, tossing Prue to the ground. He narrowed his eyes and sent a lamp flying at Paige. He expected her to freeze the room, but that was shot down when she orbed out and the lamp flew through her. "Teleportation… different, but it'll do," he observed to himself. Matthew looked up as he heard footsteps approaching down the hall. He didn't have time to take her power this moment, but he blinked over to Prue's desk and picked up her name plaque. "And the family name is now Halliwell…? I'll be seeing you later," Matthew warned, pointedly glancing toward Paige. He used Prue's power to break the glass of her window and jumped out.

Paige ran forward and helped Prue to her feet before the two sisters ran to the edge of the window to see what happened to Matthew. He had fallen the twelve stories and landed neatly on both feet, amongst some people sitting around and drinking coffee. Several people cast him surprised glances as he walked by, grabbing food off plates as he passed. 

Prue, carefully massaging her sore arm, motioned for Paige to follow her. Both Halliwells turned and ran out, needing to get home fast.

~PO4~

Outside Bucklands Auction House

The police had arrived and roped off the sitting area where Matthew had landed as well as Prue's office. Outside the tape, curious bystanders chatted while witnesses explained to the police what they had seen. Andy and Darryl were talking to one of the men that had witnessed Matthew's amazing feat.

"I was just sittin' there, you know, reading the sports, having a cup o' Joe and Bam! This guys comes flying outta nowhere, you know. Weird clothes, bad manners, nearly fell right on top o' me," the guy explained dramatically while Andy listened with arms crossed and Darryl continued the interrogation.

"When you say fell…" Darryl began, pushing for clarification.

The man just shrugged. "I mean fell, you know, from way up there I guess. I don't know," he replied, pointing up to Prue's broken office window.

Andy and Darryl both glanced up at the broken window. "That's a ten story drop, sir," Darryl pointed out mildly.

"Twelve," Andy corrected, having recognized the office as Prue's when he had first arrived.

"And you're telling us that he just got up, walked away without a scratch. That's what you're saying?" Darryl continued, ignoring Andy's correction for the moment.

"Got a better explanation?" Andy asked a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He smiled slightly at the look Dar

"Excuse us," Darryl told the man before grabbing Andy's arm and motioning for him to follow away from the crowd of people. "Alright, Trudeau. Pull out your secret ghost hunter decoding ring and let's hear it," he half-joked, stopping and turning to face Andy.

Andy laughed at his partner's joke as he looked back up at the broken window. "Look, Morris, I don't know, okay. All I know is whatever happened started up there in that office," he decided, nodding toward the broken window again.

Darryl followed his gaze and gave a slight nod of agreement. "Uh huh. So let's find out whose office that is," Darryl suggested.

"I already know. It's Prue's," Andy announced, heading toward the entrance to Bucklands Auction House. Darryl hesitated a moment at that revelation before following after Andy.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"So I suggested we add crab sauté to the, uh, lunch menu and it was great. Sold out. Do you like crab, Leo?" Piper wondered as she paced around the kitchen where Leo was under the sink trying to fix a busted pipe.

"You know what I'd love, Piper?" Leo replied from under the sink.

Piper smiled and leaned forward eagerly. "What's that?" she asked sweetly.

"Is the, uh, ratchet extension. Could you hand that to me?" Leo questioned. He held his hand out for the tool as Piper kneeled down next to his tool box and looked over everything.

"Sure," Piper agreed, but began nervously biting her lip when she realized she had no idea what he was talking about. Phoebe came up behind Piper and kneeled down beside her.

She pulled out the ratchet extension and helpfully passed it to Piper. Piper was relieved, but decided to cover it up in case Leo was paying attention. "I know that," she whispered, before dropping the tool in Leo's hand. "Here you go," Piper told him cheerfully.

Leo smiled to himself. "Thanks," he responded gratefully.

Phoebe pointedly nudged Piper in a silent order to make a move already, but Piper stubbornly refused and vainly tried to make Phoebe leave. Eventually, both sisters got up and Piper began to push Phoebe out of the kitchen. "Be right back, Leo," Piper called as she pushed Phoebe out and followed.

"No problem," Leo answered, continuing his work on the sink.

"Stop it," Piper whispered as soon as Phoebe and she had made it into the dining room.

Phoebe turned to look at Piper with a half-smile. "My sentiments exactly. Stop hinting around and ask him out already. Give him some of your crab," Phoebe suggested, trying to push Piper into making the move since she should already know how he would respond. Not to mention she had made the first move before and it had turned out fairly well.

"Don't be disgusting," Piper snapped with a roll of her eyes.

"Don't be so shy," Phoebe countered with a look that clearly said she thought Piper's shyness was infuriating to work with.

Piper shook her head nervously. "What if he says no?" she demanded, hands on her hips.

Phoebe laughed at the thought. "Yeah, like that'll happen."

"No, I'm serious."

"So am I," Phoebe reiterated, crossing her arms at her elder sister's stubbornness.

"I'm very serious. I've never… you know…" Piper trailed off pointedly, a little embarrassed to admit it.

Phoebe couldn't help but laugh a little. "You're kidding, right?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. She hadn't realized how shy Piper apparently was.

Piper shook her head, blushing slightly. "No."

"You've never asked a guy out before?" Phoebe repeated, appearing stunned at the revelation.

"Not on a real date, no," Piper admitted, shifting from foot to foot in her nervousness.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and looked away for a moment. "I don't understand. Am I the only person in this family who's inherited the take-a-chance gene?" she wondered

"Probably because if I remember my biology correctly, it's attached to the can't-mind-my-own-business gene," Piper replied sarcastically.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes playfully. "Ooh. Go!" she ordered, spinning Piper around and pushing her back into the kitchen where Leo was just coming out from under the sink.

"Well, part of the pipe is stuck. I'm almost finished here," Leo explained, putting a few of his tools back in his toolbox.

Piper nodded slightly. "Terrific. Can I get you some tea?" she offered, pointing toward the refrigerator.

"Yeah, that'd be great," Leo allowed with a smile.

Piper turned away to the refrigerator as Phoebe came back into the kitchen, deciding to provide an opening for her shy elder sister. "You know what would be great?" Phoebe questioned, leaning against the counter casually.

Piper took the tea out and placed it next to Phoebe on the counter. "Nothing," she breathed, sending a glare at her little sister. She reached up for a glass when Phoebe jumped up on the counter and accidently knocked the tea off. Piper jumped and threw her hands out, freezing the drink before it spilled all over Leo, who had gone back under the sink.

Phoebe was frozen in shock as Piper looked quickly around for something to catch the tea in. "Leo?" Piper called, hoping he was frozen and wouldn't notice anything.

"Frozen," Phoebe pointed out helpfully. "Quick, have your way with him," she suggested with a short laugh at the thought.

"Do you never stop?" Piper asked, grabbing a bucket and holding it under the tea.

Phoebe laughed and brought her hands up as if she was holding a camera. "Looks like a Kodak moment to me," she teased, causing Piper to blush even more.

"Phoebe, you're such a help," Piper commented, the sarcasm evident in her voice.

"Smile!" Phoebe joked, clicking an imaginary button. Piper glared impatiently at Phoebe as the room unfroze and the tea fell into the bucket. Leo didn't notice anything until Prue and Paige came walking into the kitchen.

"You guys we are in serious trouble," Prue announced immediately, not realizing Leo was in the room.

"Serious trouble," Paige reiterated, coming in behind her eldest sister.

Phoebe and Piper exchanged a glance and furiously pointed to Leo under the sink as a warning to Prue and Paige. Prue halted and forced a smile. "Uh, hi Leo," she greeted politely.

"Hey, Prue." Came Leo's response.

"Hey, uh, sisters upstairs now," Prue ordered with a slight nod to Leo and a point toward the next floor. Phoebe jumped down from the counter, quickly following. Piper placed the bucket of tea on the counter before dashing after them. Paige ran to the freezer and made a makeshift ice pack before following her three sisters up the steps.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Andy and Darryl were questioning Hannah and Rex in Prue's office, while other officers took pictures of the scene and collected evidence.

"Uh, Webster, Hannah Webster," Hannah replied to the question of who she was.

Andy nodded, writing it down before speaking again. "You said you heard some noises in here. What kind?" he asked carefully.

Hannah and Rex exchanged a glance. "Uh, it's hard to say…" Hannah responded.

"It almost sounded like a, a struggle of some sort. A fight perhaps…" Rex answered after a moment. "We heard Prue's sister run in and yell something about keeping away from her sister," he added hesitantly.

Andy narrowed his eyes slightly at the thought. "Do you know which sister?"

Rex thought back to a week or so earlier when he had been introduced to her. "I believe her name is Paige," he finally replied.

"Yeah, and, and then we heard a crash and I- I assumed that was the window breaking and we came in to check on Prue and then she and her sister just went running out," Hannah finished.

Darryl spoke up for the first time when Andy appeared to be thinking everything over. "What did she say? What happened?" he questioned, glancing at his suddenly silent partner.

"Nothing, actually, they just left," Hannah explained.

"She was quite agitated too. Both of them," Rex put in, in an attempt to sound worried for his employee.

Andy turned away from the small group, running a hand through his hair. "She didn't say where she was going by any chance, did she?"

"No, no, sorry," Rex apologized with a shake of his head as Andy made his way to Prue's desk.

Darryl turned to the pair instead. "Okay, thanks, Mr. Buckland. CSI will be done with the windows in a couple of hours and you can have them fixed," Darryl assured him.

Rex waved off the assurance. "Believe me, Inspector, I really don't care about the windows. I only care about Prue," he replied, turning away with Hannah and leaving the office.

Darryl turned to find Andy, glancing over some of the objects on Prue's desk, obviously having conflicting emotions regarding the situation. On the cop side he realized she was once again involved in a case with no explanation thus making her a suspect while on the boyfriend side (even though technically he was an ex, he still cared a lot for her) he had just heard she'd been in a fight. Knowing Prue and hearing the words that Rex had mentioned Paige say pointed to her being a victim and thus he was worried for her.

Darryl's voice broke Andy out of his reverie. "Look, maybe you oughta ask the captain to assign somebody else," Darryl suggested.

Andy pushed his personal thoughts away, forcing himself to focus only on his cop instincts. "Prue and I aren't dating anymore. There's no conflict, okay. I'm fine with this," he decided, making his way through the office.

Darryl turned and watched his partner leave. "Okay," he muttered to himself before following.

~PO4~

Rex closed the door to his office and turned to Hannah with a satisfied grin. "I thought that went exceedingly well, didn't you?" he asked. Their plan was going exactly as it was supposed to at this point.

Hannah shrugged from where she sat on the couch. "We may have proven the legend of the locket true and that the little witch is charmed, but now we have a seventeenth century warlock running around. I think he'll stick out," Hannah commented as Rex sat down beside her and wrapped his arms around her.

"Yep, but then again if the legend does hold true, Matthew's got a one track mind. Just like we do. He won't be difficult to find," Rex pointed out while Hannah rolled her eyes and looked away, not as confident in that as her partner. "Stop worrying, Hannah. You're gonna get wrinkles on your horns," he laughed, rubbing a finger along the top of her head. Hannah joined his laughter and leaned back into him.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper immediately began to pace back and forth around the attic as Prue filled her and Phoebe in about Matthew. Phoebe had sat down on the couch, listening intently while Paige just made it up the stairs with the icepack.

"What did you say his name was?" Piper asked, continuing her pacing while casting nervous glances toward her sisters.

Prue was pacing in front of her sisters while playing with the locket in her hand. "Matthew Tate and somehow he knows we're related to Melinda Warren," she replied, raising her eyebrows as she looked down at the locket.

Paige passed her three sisters and grabbed the Book of Shadows off the pedestal before joining them on the couch. "Here, I brought you this," she announced to Prue, passing the icepack to her eldest sister while taking the locket in exchange.

Prue nodded gratefully and placed the icepack on her sore shoulder as Paige began flipping through the book in search of the locket.

Phoebe was silent for awhile in thought. "You said Melinda Warren? Book of Shadows Melinda? Our ancestor?" Phoebe questioned in surprise.

"The one who burned at the stake and started this whole mess," Piper commented while Prue gave a slight nod.

"Uh, he came out of the locket. And he has strong powers. Stronger than mine, I mean, he did the weirdest thing. One minute he was in front of me, the next he was behind me, and then twelve stories down he landed right on his feet," Prue added as a warning.

Paige looked up from the book suddenly. "He said he had Prue's power after she used it against him and I don't think he was lying. He threw a lamp at me doing the same eyesquint thing Prue does," Paige put in, still flipping through the book.

"If it walks like a warlock and talks like a warlock," Phoebe muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah, well, he's powerful and he means business. And he wants all four of our powers," Prue warned.

"Can I see the locket?" Phoebe asked, holding her hand out to Paige.

Paige nodded and dropped the locket in her hand before slamming the book shut and sitting it to the side. "I can't find anything," Paige grumbled, crossing her arms in disappointment.

Piper glanced from Prue to Paige and back again. "Did he get your power, Missy Paige?" she wondered, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"No, Prue's boss came running toward us before he had time," Paige answered with a shake of her head.

"We have to figure out who he is before he finds the three of you," Prue decided quickly.

Phoebe flipped the locket open and was pulled into a premonition.

Melinda Warren smiling as Matthew was sucked into the locket.

She hesitated a moment before speaking while all three pairs of her sisters' eyes turned to look at her expectantly. "You said Matthew came out of the locket? I think I just saw Melinda put him in," Phoebe explained.

"You saw the past?" Prue asked curiously.

"But you only see the future," Piper pointed out, her eyes narrowed uncertainly.

Phoebe shrugged in response. "Not anymore," she decided, glancing down at the locket suspiciously.

"We always knew that our powers would grow," Prue reminded them.

Phoebe frowned in disappointment and pushed the locket back into Paige's hand. "Yes, but somehow I thought I was gonna get to fly," she lamented, dropping her head in her hands.

Prue and Piper stared at her and chuckled softly while Paige wrapped her arm around Phoebe's shoulder. "Don't worry, Pheebs. You gotta start somewhere," Paige offered cheerfully.

~PO4~

Halliwell Rossen and Haas Attorney's Office

A middle-aged man dressed in an expensive suit sat at his desk on the phone. "They want to countersue? Fine, bring it on, I'll eat 'em alive. Plus we can double bill and get away with it." He was saying to the person on the other line. Unnoticed by the man on the phone, Matthew blinked into his office, holding a piece of paper tightly in his hand.

The man finally noticed the door open of its own accord and looked to see Matthew in front of him. "Excuse me," he told the guy on the phone before hanging up and turning to Matthew.

Matthew looked down at his paper, silently reading the names off the list. "Are you Arnold Halliwell?" he asked, pointing to the name around the middle of his paper.

"Yeah, and who are you? Robin Hood?" Arnold guessed sarcastically as he looked Matthew over in his seventeenth century clothing. He leaned back comfortably in his chair.

Matthew narrowed his eyes and Arnold's seat flew up against the wall. "Tell me where your sisters are," Matthew ordered, using telekinesis to tighten Arnold's collar around his neck.

Arnold's eyes widened in fear as he reached up and tried to loosen his suddenly tight collar. "What sisters? I'm an only child. Let me go or I'll sue you…" Arnold warned but was cut off when Matthew twisted his hand, breaking Arnold's neck.

Matthew allowed the seat to fall back to the ground with a shrug. "Lawyers… have not changed," he remarked before blinking out.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe was flipping through an old photo album trying to identify the woman in her premonition. Paige was looking over her shoulder, Piper was reading a book that contained the legend of the locket, and Prue was sitting in the middle of them flipping through the Book of Shadows.

"I was right. It was Melinda in my vision," Phoebe announced, pointing to the picture of Melinda in the album.

Paige looked closer at the old picture in surprise. "That's her? Wow, she's beautiful," she commented, passing it to Prue who was looking at them curiously.

Prue smiled at the picture recognizing some family resemblance. "Hmmm… She kinda looks like Mom," she pointed out softly.

"Listen to this," Piper called, effectively gaining her three sisters' attention. "'And because the warlock had stolen her love, she cursed him into the pewter heart, where he could spend eternity feeling the sting of betrayal,'" Piper read, glancing up at her sisters.

"That must be what I saw," Phoebe replied.

Prue frowned and passed the photo album back to Paige. "And I let him out early. Great," she muttered, crossing her arms and inwardly cursing at her luck.

Piper glanced over the rest of the passage and raised her eyebrows at Prue's comment. "You're not kidding. The legend says the warlock must never be freed or he will destroy the Warren line. That'd be us."

"It's official. Halliwell luck sucks," Paige remarked, leaning back into a chair and running a hand through her hair.

"Yes, well, he's going to have to pick a number and get in line behind the other warlocks," Phoebe joked, though she appeared a little worried by the revelation.

Prue shook her head in frustration. "We've never been up against anyone like him before," she reminded them.

"So what do we do?" Phoebe asked, glancing between Prue and Piper for an answer.

"I say we hide," Piper suggested, shutting the book in her hands.

Prue narrowed her eyes slightly and disagreed. "No, we have to find out exactly what we're up against. And we start with the locket and how it wound up on my desk," she decided, getting to her feet.

"For what it's worth, I think that Rex guy is a little suspicious. I mean, he brought it to your desk," Paige pointed out as the four sisters made their way down the stairs.

They passed through the Conservatory to find Leo eating lunch and watching the news. "Hey, Prue. Your work's on the news. Check it out," he called, pointing toward the television.

The four sisters stopped and crowded around behind the couch to look at the report. "This morning witnesses claim they saw a man fall twelve stories. Twist? He apparently got up and walked away unharmed," the reporter was saying on the news.

"We've gotta find him before he hurts somebody else, especially an innocent," Prue whispered to her sisters so that Leo couldn't hear their conversation.

Paige grunted in agreement the same time Phoebe responded. "There's that 'I' word again."

"Look, Andy's on TV," Piper spoke up, pointing toward Andy and Darryl walking across the television screen.

The doorbell rang and Paige glanced out the window, biting her lip slightly. "He's outside too," she announced with a frown. All the sisters exchanged glances, silently agreeing that Phoebe would take this one since both Prue and Paige were probably wanted for questioning and Piper wasn't a good liar at all. Phoebe hesitantly opened the door to find Andy on the doorstep. "Andy, what a surprise. How you been?" she asked, feigning surprise as she stepped onto the threshold and closed the door behind her.

"I need to talk to Prue, Phoebe," Andy replied, ignoring the question. He always could tell when the sisters were hiding something and Phoebe was sending off all the signals.

"Prue? Wow, how out of the loop am I? And here I thought you guys broke up," Phoebe remarked, holding her façade of surprise and ignorance.

"It's not about that. It's police business," Andy countered, crossing his arms expectantly.

Phoebe frowned and shrugged. "Oh, well, uh, she's not home. She's at work."

"No, she's not," Andy retorted harshly with a slight shake of his head.

"Well, then, I don't know where she is, but I'll tell her you stopped by, okay? Ciao!" Phoebe replied, turning away to walk back inside.

Andy narrowed his eyes and grabbed hold of her arm, keeping her from leaving. "A man fell out of Prue's office window, which is suspicious enough. But then a man matching the same description went and killed a lawyer down the street. A lawyer named Halliwell. Now, I know she knows who he is. One more time, Phoebe, where's your sister?"

Phoebe narrowed her eyes coldly. "Where's your warrant?" she retorted, knowing full well he didn't have one. She raised her eyebrows pointedly and turned back into the house, leaving Andy on the doorstep. With no other choice Andy turned and walked back to his car.

~PO4~

"Great, so now I'm being hunted by a warlock and the San Francisco P.D." Prue muttered, pacing back and forth around the Conservatory.

Phoebe glanced up at her sympathetically from where she sat on the couch next to Piper. "Nobody ever said you led a boring life, Prue."

"Maybe Andy could help," Piper offered hopefully.

Prue rolled her eyes at her comment. "Yeah, you want to have that conversation with him. 'Hey, Andy, I hate to bother you, but this seventeenth century warlock is trying to kill me and my sisters.' Any thoughts?" Prue asked sarcastically.

"Okay, Prue. Sit down and let us think about this. Your pacing is driving me insane," Paige muttered, successfully pulling Prue down beside her in the huge armchair across from Piper and Phoebe.

"Alright, it was a bad idea, but the point is we need help," Piper conceded as soon as Prue had sat down.

Prue sighed softly. "Yeah, well, unfortunately more than Andy can give."

"What we need is someone who has done this before, someone like Melinda Warren," Phoebe decided thoughtfully.

Paige glanced over at Phoebe as if she was crazy. "Uh, last I checked she was kinda dead," she pointed out mildly.

"Yeah, what would you want us to do? Reach back in time, grab her and tell her that we need her help?" Prue added sarcastically.

Phoebe leaned forward with a slight nod. "Yes. And I know exactly how to do it. As long as you three don't mind losing a little blood…" she trailed off with a half-smile.

~PO4~

Up in the attic the four sisters formed a circle around the Wiccan alter where they performed spells. Prue sat next to Phoebe, who sat next to Piper, next to Paige, next to Prue, completing the circle.

"Am I the only one having second thoughts about this?" Piper wondered, nervously playing with the end of her jacket.

"Yes," Phoebe answered the same time Paige said "No."

Phoebe cast a glare toward her younger sister who usually wasn't one to back out of a spell. Piper was a nervous person, thus was expected to have second thoughts, but Paige wasn't usually.

Prue glanced from one sister to the next, around the circle. "We don't really having any other options," Prue pointed out, not sounding too happy with the plan herself, but realizing they had limited choices.

"But aren't we like raising the dead? What if she comes back all…" Piper trailed off with a shudder as her imagination ran away with the idea.

"Ewww…" Paige responded with a look of disgust.

"I read the Book of Shadows very carefully. She will come back as a real live person, flesh and blood. And she will have her powers too, our powers," Phoebe reassured them, reaching out and picking up the knife that sat before her.

Piper's eyes landed on the knife that Phoebe picked up. "What's that for?" she demanded, glancing at Prue with a worried look.

"Well, the spell works by blood calling blood, so it shouldn't hurt… much," Phoebe replied, poking her finger with the knife. She gasped as it cut through her skin. "Oh! I lied, I lied!" she admitted dramatically.

Around her Prue frowned, looking worried, Piper glanced away and rubbed her arms as if she was cold, and Paige tried to ignore the thought and focus on her breathing.

Phoebe glanced over them recognizing their reluctance. "Okay, come on guys, it'll be just like the summer by the lake. Remember when we made the blood oath to be friends forever, not just sisters?" she reminded them pointedly.

Prue carefully took the knife from Phoebe as Piper shook her head at the thought. "I remember my finger got infected," Piper countered, biting her lip.

Prue stuck her finger with the knife quickly. "Ow. Yeah, but the oath worked," she pointed out, handing the knife toward Piper while Paige's eyes widened as she realized it was going to come around to her next.

"And I couldn't go into the water for three weeks. Don't hand me that knife…" Piper pleaded, pulling away from the alter slightly.

Prue glanced toward Paige who also shook her head defiantly. "No, I vote for another plan. If you don't want to have the conversation with Andy, I'll go do it, just don't poke my finger…"

"What is your problem?" Phoebe asked, her eyes flickering from Paige to Piper, the question meant for both of them.

"I can't stand the sight of blood," Piper replied, hugging herself in an attempt to keep calm. Everyone's eyes swiveled to Paige.

Paige hesitated a moment her eyes on the knife that Prue was still holding out for one of her sisters. "I don't like knives. When I was seven I was putting the dishes up and a knife stabbed me. My hand turned purple," she answered, sending a glare at the knife.

Prue narrowed her eyes slightly. "Evil beings have blown up in our attic…"

"Disintegrated before your very eyes…" Phoebe continued.

"Athames have even been thrown in our face and you two are afraid of poking your finger?" Prue finished with a roll of her eyes.

Piper took a deep breath and held her finger out to Prue. "Okay, just cut my finger," she relented, looking away and closing her eyes.

Prue frowned slightly and passed the knife to Phoebe. "You do it," she ordered.

Phoebe nodded and quickly poked Piper's finger before she could change her mind. "Ow!" Piper yelled, jumping and pulling her hand away.

"Do you want me to poke yours too?" Phoebe asked, all eyes turning toward Paige.

Paige hesitated a moment before narrowing her eyes in determination. "I can poke my own finger," she snapped, pulling the knife out of Phoebe's hand and poking her finger before she could think about it too much. She hissed in pain, immediately dropping the knife back on the alter with a sigh.

"Okay, here," Prue responded, bringing out the opened locket so that everyone could reach it. All four sisters squeezed their fingers, allowing a few drops of blood to fall into the locket. Phoebe took it from Prue, closed it, and dropped it in the Wiccan bowl.

"Melinda Warren, blood of our blood…" Phoebe began the chant

The sisters joined hands and chanted together. "…Our great, great, great, great, great, great, grandmother…"

"…We summon thee," Phoebe finished with a wide smile.

White orbs filled the room much like when Paige orbs in and disappeared to reveal Melinda Warren. Piper's mouth dropped in surprise, Prue exchanged a glance with Paige, while Phoebe smiled.

Melinda took a deep breath of air and her blue eyes flickered over the four young women in front of her. "Oh, blessed be."

~PO4~

Phoebe had led Melinda into her room where she was pulling out a dress for Melinda to change into. She pulled the zipper down, about to hand it to Melinda when she spoke up.

"No, don't-don't rip the dress to make it fit me," Melinda exclaimed suddenly, causing Phoebe to jump slightly in surprise.

Phoebe smiled as she realized what Melinda was thinking. "Oh, no, no. I'm not ripping it. It's called a zipper, see?" Phoebe explained, showing Melinda how a zipper worked.

Melinda's eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, a wise witch made this," she decided with a smile as she zipped and unzipped the dress.

"Yeah, and wise witches in this century keep a low profile. Slip this dress on, you'll blend right in," Phoebe assured her.

"It's so odd to be here again. To breath and feel," Melinda commented as she stepped into the dress. "What sheep has wool so soft?" She asked as she ran her hand over the material.

Phoebe laughed softly at the question. "A synthetic one."

"Oh!" Melinda giggled while Phoebe zipped up the back of her dress. "So did it, did it take you long to make the dress?" Melinda wondered curiously.

"Make it? No, no, I bought it," Phoebe explained.

Melinda nodded slightly. "Oh, you must be rich," she replied in understanding.

Prue, Piper, and Paige came in in time to catch the end of their conversation. "No, she's got credit cards," Prue corrected pleasantly as she led the way in.

Piper's eyes widened a little as she caught sight of Melinda. "Wow, Melinda, you look great," she complimented, pushing a strand of her hair away from her face.

"Gorgeous. You sure would pick up the guys," Paige added, earning a light slap on the arm from Prue. She glanced innocently at her eldest sister who cast her a playful glare.

Melinda laughed softly, watching the sisterly exchange. "Thank you. Oh, but how do you keep your legs warm?" she wondered curiously.

"We drink coffee," Prue replied with a smile.

"It's a god-send," Paige elaborated in response to Melinda's look of confusion.

Leo approached the doorway only to halt upon seeing the five girls in the room, obviously getting ready for something. "Oh, sorry, I let myself in and it didn't occur to me…" he apologized quickly.

"Leo, it's, uh, okay. This is, uh…" Piper began but trailed off, glancing nervously toward Prue, who appeared to be trying to think of something quickly.

"Our cousin, Melinda," Phoebe saved while Paige nodded furiously, putting a friendly arm around Melinda as if they were close.

Melinda started to smile at Leo but found herself pulled into a premonition as Paige touched her.

"You cannot deny them their birthright. They are the Charmed Ones. Magic needs them," Penny Halliwell snapped. She was in the attic, standing next to the Book of Shadows. The Angel of Destiny approached the Book of Shadows only to have Penny block his path. "Their new destiny has already been decided, there is no stopping it," he replied calmly. The Book of Shadows suddenly began to glow and the pages flipped frantically until it landed on the "Dominus Trinus" page. Penny could just see the words being erased before it flipped to the page that recorded the prophecy of the Charmed Ones. The book suddenly shut and the glow faded. Where the triquetra had been a new symbol for four now stood.  
"The prophecy will include the fourth," the Angel of Destiny stated. He noticed the relieved expression on Penny's face despite how she attempted to hide her emotion. "However, it comes with a price…"

Melinda was pulled back into reality in time to see Leo nodding and smiling in greeting. "It's nice to meet you."

"Leo's fixing our plumbing," Piper explained for Melinda's benefit.

Melinda frowned in confusion. "What's that?" she asked innocently, tilting her head to the side.

All four Halliwell sisters looked stunned at the unexpected question and Prue hurried to cover up her ignorance. "Uh, we've got to go now," Prue spoke up, motioning for everyone to follow her out of the room.

Phoebe nodded and began to lead Melinda to the door, but she stopped and looked up at Leo. "To work with one's hands is a great gift," Melinda commented with a wide smile.

"Well, I am a true laborer. I earn that I eat, get that I wear," Leo replied, seeming flattered.

"Owe no man hate, envy no man's happiness," Melinda quoted, recognizing the words of Shakespeare.

"Shakespeare," they both said at the same time, causing Melinda to giggle softly.

Prue and Paige exchanged a glance while Piper giggled and Phoebe just held her wide smile.

"Well, wasn't that fun? Okay, let's go now," Prue ordered, again motioning for everyone to follow her. Prue grabbed Paige's hand, who grabbed Phoebe's hand as Prue pulled them out the door. Melinda watched Paige with a look of deep curiousity but realized Piper was watching her so she hastily looked away. Piper let Melinda go out before her as Leo passed them through the door.

Melinda turned to watch Leo leave before turning to Piper with a knowing look. "He's a treasure, Piper," she approved.

"Why you telling me?" Piper asked as they followed Prue downstairs.

~PO4~

Halliwell Hardware and Appliance

Matthew glanced over his handy work with pride despite his frustrations of still not having found any of the sisters. The owner of the store, by the name of Halliwell, was hung up on the wall by some of the garden tools, obviously dead. Matthew turned to leave when Rex and Hannah met him at the door and he stopped out of curiosity.

"Hello, Matthew," Rex greeted as Hannah glanced over him.

"We have got to do something about his clothes," Hannah remarked before Matthew had time to respond.

Matthew narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Who are you? How do you know me?" he demanded.

"Well, the short answer is we're the ones who gave the witch the locket to have you freed. I suppose you could say we're partners," Rex explained simply.

Matthew shook his head in disagreement. "I work alone."

Rex frowned and narrowed his eyes. "No, not in this century you don't. You're new in town, new in time, you need our help," he argued. His eyes flickered to see the shop owner hooked to the wall. "Hmm… I see you've been shopping. Find what you're looking for?"

"I want Melinda Warren's children," Matthew stated.

Hannah smiled and her eyes flickered from the shop owner's dead body back to Matthew. "Ooh, talk about your coincidences," she pointed out, looking pointedly at Rex.

"You see, we have the means to find him for you. And you have the ability to take their powers. Come," Rex ordered, turning to leave the shop before the police arrived. He glanced back when Matthew didn't immediately follow. "What?"

"How'd you find me?" Matthew asked.

Rex laughed and rolled his eyes. "Prue Halliwell, a Halliwell attorney, now here. You are leaving a trail, my friend, and that has got to stop," he warned.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Melinda all sat down at the dining room table while Prue helped place the locket around Melinda's neck.

"Once Matthew had what he wanted, he told the town council I was a witch, and they arrested me. Then they burned me at the stake," Melinda explained how Matthew was involved in the events leading to her death.

Piper lowered her eyes in thought as Prue made her way to sit beside Phoebe at the table. "Why didn't you save yourself?" Piper asked curiously.

"Yeah, why didn't you use your powers to escape?" Phoebe spoke up, not understanding.

Melinda smiled faintly as the conversation began to head toward her daughter. "I had a daughter. Her name was Prudence," she began, glancing with a half-smile toward Prue

"Awwww…. That's so cute," Paige couldn't help but blurt out. She blushed a little when everyone looked over at her and nervously began playing with her hands.

"… She meant everything to me. If I had used my powers I would have proven Matthew's charge and Prudence would've burned too. So I thought, I'll accept this and pray that some kind soul would take pity on my daughter and raise her in a safe home. Only then could the Warren line continue. And it must have worked because here you are," Melinda continued with a bright smile as she looked over her descendants.

Phoebe frowned slightly noticing a parallel between Prudence's life and theirs. "Why do Warren witches lose their moms so early?" she asked softly.

Melinda hesitated trying to think of the best way to phrase the answer. "Phoebe, I can't change the past, but I think I can protect the future."

"How?" Prue spoke up for the first time. "Matthew is so strong and he has this wild power. He can be at one place and then another," she responded.

"In the blink of an eye?" Melinda wondered, having a vague memory of that power when she had been alive.

"Exactly," Prue agreed.

Melinda nodded in understanding. "It's called 'blinking.' He must've copied it from another warlock. I stripped him of all the powers he copied from me, but who knows what other powers he still has."

"What do you mean copied?" Paige questioned, raising her eyebrows slightly.

"Matthew's gift is to copy the power of a good witch when it's used against him," Melinda explained.

Prue sighed audibly. "Then he definitely has mine," she muttered.

"Once he's copied a power, it has no effect on him. Should he gain all four powers, he will be impossible to vanquish," Melinda warned carefully.

"So what do we do?" Prue asked, glancing hopefully toward Melinda.

"We curse him back into the locket," Melinda decided.

Piper was the only one bring up the nagging thought in the back of their minds. "And if we can't?" she whispered.

Melinda fell silent which was indication enough that they would probably all be killed. The sisters exchanged worried glances with each other, not knowing what to think of that.


	18. The Witch Is Back (Part 2)

Bucklands Auction House

"Are these pants meant to be so tight?" Matthew questioned, as he forced the zipper of his jeans up. He looked up at Hannah, who casually had her back to him though every now and then her eyes would flicker to check him out.

Hannah slowly peeked over her shoulder at him before looking away again. 'Wow,' she mouthed to herself though she spoke with a more neutral. "Absolutely."

"No wonder your men frown all the time, it's a wonder they can even walk. So is this right?" he asked Hannah who once again glanced over her shoulder at him.

"Oh, yeah," Hannah replied, nodding to herself.

Matthew didn't miss the not-so-subtle glances toward him. "If it pleases you to look, look," he allowed with a shrug.

"I wasn't looking..." Hannah argued. "…much," she conceded after a moment.

Matthew slowly approached her, looking a little confused. "Why the false modesty? I, I don't understand," Matthew admitted, leaning against her chair and coming level to her face.

Hannah hesitated a moment as he came so close to her. "Well, it's a very complex issue these days. I mean, there's political correctness, sexual harassment, um, don't get me started…" she laughed softly, looking away from him.

"Hmmm… what a strange time this is. So open, yet so closed. Where even a warlock feels shame," Matthew commented.

"Hannah…" Rex began as he suddenly entered his office. His eyes focused on Matthew and Hannah so close together and he narrowed his eyes. "… What the devil?"

Hannah laughed casually in an attempt to hide her slight embarrassment. "Rex, I told you I'd get him dressed," she reminded him.

Rex irritably closed his office door behind him. "Yeah, ten minutes ago."

Hannah began to say something else, but Matthew beat her to it. "Well, we tried on many things. She said it is difficult to choose," he explained.

"Playtime's over big boy. You have a job to do," Rex snapped, causing Matthew to move away to grab a shirt. Rex quickly approached Hannah and whispered in her ear.

"Remember, he goes back from whence he came once his task is completed."

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"I can't believe I can't remember all the ingredients," Melinda commented as she followed the sisters' directions up the stairs to the attic. She pushed the door open and led the way to the pedestal that held the Book of Shadows.

"It's been awhile since you cursed Matthew," Prue pointed out mildly. She followed after Melinda carrying a piece of paper and a pencil.

Phoebe followed after Prue, chuckling at the truth of the statement. "Yeah, like three hundred years," she laughed.

Paige was right behind Phoebe while Piper brought up the rear. "Whatever you don't remember should be in the book," Piper added, crowding around the Book of Shadows with her sisters and Melinda.

"The Book of Shadows… Oh my, it's gotten so thick!" Melinda whispered happily as she picked up the familiar book and flipped around randomly.

"What do you mean?" Paige asked, tilting her head slightly to the side and exchanging a curious glance with Phoebe and Piper beside her.

Melinda smiled and turned to the middle of the book. "It used to be much smaller, but obviously each generation of Warren witches has added to it over the years and has made it so. Have you added anything?" she wondered curiously, her eyes flickering over the four sisters.

"Us? Are you kidding? We're new at this. We can't just make up our own spell…" Phoebe laughed before she suddenly thought through the question. "Wait, can we?" Prue narrowed her eyes at Phoebe in a teasing way at her little sister's sudden enthusiasm.

"All things in time, Phoebe. The book will grow as you grow. Sometimes you add to it, sometimes it teaches you," Melinda explained as she searched for the curse in the book.

"Oh, here's the curse," she announced, pointing toward the page.

Piper and Paige eagerly crowded around on either side of Melinda to read over her shoulder while Prue passed Melinda the piece of paper and pencil. Melinda glanced over the pencil in confusion. "Just start writing," Prue responded simply.  
Melinda was still looking doubtfully at the pencil. "No ink?" she asked.

Prue shook her head. "No." She smiled and watched as Melinda began to write with the pencil.

"Ha!" Melinda exclaimed in surprise.

Prue and Phoebe smiled and giggled at her reaction before Paige caught their attention. "Hey, guys. Check this out," Paige called, laughing softly with Piper. Both of them were staring at the page next to the curse.

"Grams must have added this one," Piper elaborated a little as Prue and Phoebe walked forward for a look.

Melinda leaned over and quickly read over the page. "Too increase patience," she read with a hint of a laugh in her voice.

"I bet she used that spell a lot raising us, huh," Phoebe guessed, nudging Prue with her elbow pointedly.

"We weren't all troublemakers, Phoebe," Prue countered, narrowing her eyes playfully at her little sister.

Piper nodded in agreement and pointed at both Phoebe and Paige. "I'd bet you two were the inspiration for the spell," she agreed with Prue, flashing her sisters an innocent smile when they looked over at her.

"I don't think I was that bad…" Paige argued lightly, feigning hurt at the comment.

Piper rolled her eyes at her baby sister. "Maybe not until you started hanging out with Phoebe back then. She was a bad influence… the little troublemaker," she joked, playfully glaring at Phoebe.

"I was not a troublemaker. I was just…" Phoebe trailed off trying to find the right words.

"A pain," Piper finished teasingly.

"A free spirit," Phoebe corrected.

"A handful," Prue countered with a laugh.

"A Warren," Melinda decided for all of them as Phoebe and Prue cast teasing glances at each other. "It's a family trait. So are the short tempers, the great cheekbones, the strong wills, and, of course, the powers. All blessings, all signs of where you came from. This book is your connection and it began with me."

Prue looked from Melinda to each of her sisters in turn. "Well, let's make sure it doesn't end with us. We need to get going," she ordered, hurrying her sisters along after her.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Rex had a folder on the table in front of Matthew that contained pictures of the four sisters and files of information about them. He pulled out a picture of Prue followed by a picture of Paige. "Now, this is Prue and Paige, you've already met," Rex explained, pointing to each sister in turn. Rex next took out the picture of Piper and passed it to Matthew.

"This is Piper…" He pulled the last picture out. "And this is Phoebe."

Matthew curiously ran his hands along the pictures. "Such marvelous paintings. You can not feel the brush strokes," he commented in surprise.

Hannah smiled slightly at his ignorance. "Yeah, remind us to take you to the movies when this is all over," Hannah replied, causing Matthew to look at her curiously.

"And this is the address to Quake. Piper works there. May I suggest that you go there next and take her power? Hannah will drive you," Rex instructed after he pulled out another small piece of paper and passed it to Hannah.

Hannah rolled her eyes at the command from Rex, but nonetheless nodded in agreement.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"The curse is really simple as long as you have the ingredients I need," Melinda was saying as everyone dispersed throughout the kitchen.

Piper had the paper with the ingredients list and was quickly looking over it. "Okay, Paige lay out the materials, Phoebe can do the spices and I can chop the scallions," Piper decided, passing the paper to Paige so she could see the list of materials.

Paige looked over it before passing it over to Phoebe. "Here," she called, grabbing Phoebe's attention as she made her way around the kitchen, getting out the various silverware, pots, ingredients that were here in the house, etc.

"This is so cool. We've never done a curse before," Phoebe commented eagerly, her excitement shining through her words.

"Oh, I'm glad. They're not to be taken lightly," Melinda responded, a hint of a warning in her voice.

Paige's eyes flickered from where she stood next to the counter. "What I think is cool is having someone to actually help us with all this," she remarked with a half-smile toward

Melinda while making frantic hand motions around the busy kitchen.

"I know! I feel like there's so much we could be learning or doing if we had the right teacher," Phoebe agreed with a pointed glance toward Melinda.

Melinda smiled at the compliments. "Well, I'd savor my first gift before I move onto the next one," she advised.

Phoebe frowned at the thought. "I see pictures. What's to savor?" she asked in frustration.

"Yeah, but you see visions of the future and the past. That'll allow you to protect and to heal," Melinda answered knowingly.

Phoebe looked up thoughtfully. "Hmmm… Did you hear that, Prue?" she called with a pointed glance toward where Prue was silently staring out the window, obviously searching for Andy.

"Prue, stop looking for Andy, he should be long gone by now," Piper pointed out, pulling her eldest sister from her reverie.

Prue sighed and glanced behind her to her busy sisters. "Yeah, he'll be back. Probably with a warrant," she muttered with a frown.

Phoebe laughed lightly at the thought. "Yeah, like Andy would ever arrest you," she giggled.

"Wait! You don't think he will arrest us, do you? I mean, technically I'm in this too even if he's more interested in you…" Paige trailed off sounding worried. She looked up at her eldest sister with wide brown eyes.

Prue just shrugged in reply. "I honestly wouldn't blame him if he did." Prue turned away from the window and walked up to Melinda. "So do we have everything?"

"Actually there's a few herbs we don't have, but I can get them at the restaurant," Piper replied confidently.

"The only problem is the feather… from the spotted owl," Phoebe answered, looking over the list again.

"Ooh…" Paige whispered, biting her lip slightly.

Melinda appeared confused by their sudden negativity. "Is that a problem?"

"Well, they're an endangered species," Prue explained, but elaborated when Melinda still looked confused. "Um, certain animals from your time aren't really around anymore."

"Why?" Melinda questioned sadly.

Phoebe was the first to attempt to answer. "Deforestation, pollution…"

"Um, it's a long story," Paige broke Phoebe off when Melinda just began to look more confused and they didn't really have time to get into the whole complex issue.

"Do you think they have one at the zoo?" Piper suggested with a shrug.

"What's a zoo?" Melinda wondered aloud.

Phoebe again was the first to attempt an answer. "In theory it's this big garden kind of place where all the animals are caged and…"

"You know what? I'll work on the feather. Piper, can you handle the herbs?" Prue took charge before Phoebe could terrorize Melinda any further with her explanations.

Piper hesitated a moment, thinking her situation over. "Uh, yeah, after I get to Quake though I might have a problem getting out because I'm supposed to work the night shift," she explained uncertainly.

"Well, I'll come with you and bring back the stuff if you get hung up," Phoebe suggested.

"Me too!" Paige volunteered hopefully.

Prue shook her head quickly. "No way, Missy Paige. You can stay here with me since he already knows about you," she argued, causing Paige to fall back and pout in disappointment.

"I don't think you two should leave either. You are the three Matthew needs," Melinda added, frowning slightly at the plan so far.

"We'll be fine. How could Matthew even know about Quake?" Piper reassured her, not appearing too worried. Melinda continued to frown, but didn't stop them as they left.

~PO4~

Outside Quake

Hannah and Matthew waited in a car outside the restaurant, waiting for Piper to come in. "I've waited over three hundred years for my revenge. As soon as Piper gets here, I shall have it…" Matthew remarked eagerly.

~PO4~

Quake

Phoebe led the way in with Piper closely following, revealing her plan to Phoebe about how to get out. "You go ahead into the kitchen, I'm gonna cough on Martin and tell him I'm highly contagious so I can go home," Piper explained hastily as they maneuvered around the crowded room.

"Love the plan," Phoebe allowed, heading on into the kitchen even after a waitress stopped Piper.

"Hey, Piper. Did your sweetie find you?" the waitress asked curiously.

Piper looked at her in confusion. "My what?" she countered, a feeling of dread washing over her.

"That guy with the English accent. He called earlier to see if you were working today," the waitress replied.

 

~PO4~

In the kitchen, Matthew was pushing Phoebe back into a corner. Phoebe grabbed a rolling pin from a nearby counter that she passed and attempted to hit him with it. Matthew deftly blocked the blow and tossed it to the floor. Phoebe was backed up against the wall and he grabbed tight hold of her and she jerked into a premonition.

Matthew had Melinda cornered against a wall in the Manor. He grabbed hold of her neck, which she was defenseless against without being able to use her powers.

Matthew smiled as he felt the familiar flow of power through him. "Now I have your power and I see Melinda's here. Good. She will die at my hand," he remarked, tossing Phoebe to the ground and blinking out.

Piper ran in just after he had left to find Phoebe on the floor. "Are you okay?" she demanded, running forward and helping Phoebe to her feet.

"Yeah. It was Matthew. He's gone, but he copied my power," Phoebe answered, worry evident in her tone.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Down the street outside the Manor, Andy waited in his car for Prue to come out. He knew she would eventually leave somewhere and he was determined to find out what was going on. The only way to do that was to confront Prue directly, but if she knew he was around, she wouldn't leave.

~PO4~

"Alright, I found a spotted owl at the museum where I used to work. Stuffed," Prue explained as Paige and Melinda followed her down the steps.

"But we only need one feather," Melinda pointed out.

"Good, maybe that'll keep it down to a misdemeanor. Look, I'll be back as soon as I can," Prue promised, pulling Melinda into a quick hug followed by Paige.

Paige bit her lip nervously at the plan. "You sure you don't want me to come with you?" she pressed.

Prue nodded and smiled faintly at her baby sister. "I'll be fine, I promise. You have to stay with Melinda," she decided, heading towards the door. Prue turned at the door and waved before leaving Paige and Melinda alone in the house.

~PO4~

Prue pulled out of the driveway in her car, unaware that Andy was following her as she made her way to the museum.

~PO4~

Melinda curiously walked into the kitchen, checking out some of the appliances while Paige paced around, having nothing better to do. Melinda's eyes flickered to the blender that she had seen Piper use earlier. She warily approached it and pressed the large 'on' button. The blender began to spin loudly, causing her to jump in surprise away from it. Paige's head snapped up at the unexpected sound and the sudden gasp from Melinda. She immediately ran forward and pressed the 'off' button with an amused smile toward Melinda. She was about to say something when the phone ringing echoed through the house. Melinda looked around in confusion, but followed as Paige ran out to answer it.

~PO4~

Quake/ The Halliwell Manor

Piper and Phoebe were sitting at the bar in Quake, using the restaurant's phone to call their home number and warn their other sisters and Melinda about Matthew.

"Come on, answer," Phoebe ordered the phone, nervously slapping the edge of the bar.

~PO4~

As Paige ran toward the phone, the answering machine picked up. "Hi, we're not home. You know the drill," the answering machine called before it clicked off for the message.

"Prue, Paige? Pick up," Phoebe's voice ordered through the machine.

Paige hastily reached up and grabbed it. "Hey, Pheebs," she greeted, a little breathless from the run.

Melinda glanced warily at the machine. "Phoebe?" Melinda asked, into the machine, not understanding that she was actually on the telephone.

"You guys need to be really careful. Matthew was here, he could be on his way," Phoebe explained hastily.

Before Paige could reply, Melinda pressed a button on the answering machine and it clicked off, effectively ending the conversation.

"Uh oh…" Paige muttered over the answering machine's 'machine is off.'

~PO4~

Phoebe slammed the phone down on the counter and jumped up, pulling Piper along after her. "Line went dead," she replied to Piper's silent question

~PO4~

Paige jumped as the door slammed open and she was suddenly grabbed from behind. With a scream of surprise she instinctively orbed out. Matthew, who had blinked in and grabbed hold of her, pulled her back down with a grin of triumph.

"Matthew," Melinda stated coldly in greeting.

Paige tried to pull away from his grip. "Melinda, get out of here!" she ordered, knocking her elbow into Matthew's stomach in an attempt to break his grip.

In response, Matthew tossed her to the ground and then narrowed his eyes, sending her flying back into the wall before he turned to face Melinda. "We meet again," he commented with a satisfied smile at his accomplishments thus far.

Melinda nervously glanced toward the unmoving Paige, but figured it best to keep his attention focused on her. "Yes, and the sight of you still makes me ill."

"Funny, the fact that I could now destroy your line forever, makes you so much more appealing," Matthew responded, slowly closing the distance between them.

"You think I won't stop you," Melinda snapped, her eyes narrowed.

"How? You made your curse before and you still burned," Matthew pointed out, stopping just in front of her.

Melinda crossed her arms defiantly. "And yet I'm here now, aren't I?" Melinda countered.

"You're nothing more than a dead witch watching over stupid girls who are about to die themselves," Matthew retorted, smiling slightly as he watched his words effect the woman before him.

"You won't touch them!" Melinda warned dangerously.

"Too late. I now have three of their powers. I just need the fourth. I believe her name is Piper. Unless…" Matthew trailed off as he grabbed Melinda by the throat and roughly pushed her up against the wall. "… You want to freeze me."

Melinda gasped softly as she was pushed back. "Go to Hell where you belong."

As he held her, Matthew was thrown into a premonition.

Melinda and the four sisters added the feather into the bag of ingredients for the curse and added it to the smoking Wiccan pot.

Matthew smiled in understanding. "So that's why they brought you back, isn't it? You think you can curse me again. Hell, I might just kill you now," he threatened, tightening his grip on her throat.

"Go ahead. I've already given them the curse," Melinda replied.

Matthew narrowed his eyes dangerously. "You're lying," he guessed.

"Am I?" Melinda challenged, raising her eyebrows slightly in a dare.

"The one with the feather… where is she now? Where is Prue? Tell me!" Matthew demanded, slamming her back against the wall again.

Melinda hesitated. "She's at…" she began but trailed off.

"Yes?" Matthew prompted.

"Zoo," Melinda answered, feigning reluctance.

Matthew nodded to himself. "Then that's where I'll kill her. And then I'll come back for the last two. That way you can watch them die and I can watch you suffer," he explained harshly. Matthew watched her reaction for a moment before kissing her roughly. "And then, you'll be next," he warned. He turned to where Paige was still unconscious on the floor.

With a grin he turned away, narrowing his eyes at the pieces of a broken vase which had been knocked over when he had thrown Paige to the floor. The sharp pieces flew toward Paige just before he blinked out.

Melinda gasped and threw her hand out, using her power of telekinesis the pieces stopped and fell to the floor before she hurried to Paige.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Rex was casually spread across the couch in his office when Hannah walked in, appearing as if she dreaded to start the conversation.

"You lost him," Rex stated without opening his eyes to look at her.

Hannah narrowed her eyes at him in exasperation. "We've had this conversation before, Rex. Please stay out of my mind."

Rex finally looked up to meet her eyes. "Well, did he copy Piper's power?" he asked hopefully.

"I have no idea. Something happened in that restaurant though because he just took off. And so did they," Hannah explained, pulling her glasses off in her frustration.

"Then why didn't you follow him?" Rex questioned angrily, flipping around so that he was sitting up against the couch.

Hannah threw her hands up dramatically at the expected shift of blame. "I tried. Why don't you just follow him right now?" Hannah demanded.

"Because I… Haven't mastered that ability yet unfortunately," Rex admitted with a frown while Hannah rolled her eyes at his answer. Rex narrowed his eyes and quickly approached Hannah. "We need Matthew to provide us with the sisters' powers otherwise we don't stand a chance in Hell. Find him," he ordered.

Hannah glared at him and reluctantly left in an attempt to find Matthew.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Prue? Paige? Melinda?" Piper called as soon as she and Phoebe had opened the door to the Manor. They quickly looked around and found Paige pacing in the Foyer, holding an ice pack against her head.

Paige glanced over with wide brown eyes. "Melinda's in there," she replied, pointing into the Conservatory.

Piper's eyes flickered around the room taking in the broken furniture and the obviously hurt Paige. "Oh my God, are you okay?" she demanded, rushing forward and gently pulling Paige into a tight hug.

Phoebe looked over at Melinda who, hearing Piper and Phoebe's return, had come into the Foyer as well. "It was Matthew, wasn't it?" Phoebe guessed, glancing from Melinda to Paige and back again.

"Yes, but don't worry. He's gone," Melinda assured them, though she glanced nervously toward Paige.

"He copied my power… I didn't know it was him. I just felt him grab me from behind and…" Paige trailed off, burying her face against Piper, who was still holding onto her baby sister.

Piper frowned and comfortingly stroked Paige's long hair. "Shhh… it's okay. He found Phoebe too."

"He found us at the restaurant and he copied my power. He said he was going to kill you and I was sooo …" Phoebe began to explain only to be cut off by Melinda.

"It's alright, you two. But we've got to hurry before Matthew gets back. Did you get all the herbs?" Melinda asked, looking toward Piper for an answer.

Piper nodded quickly. "Yeah, all we need now is the feather," she responded, biting her lip slightly.

"Good, Prue's taking care of that," Melinda remarked thoughtfully.

Phoebe frowned in confusion. "How?" Her eyes flickered to Paige and Piper only to find them avoiding her eyes. She deduced that whatever Prue was doing to fix the situation, probably wasn't good.

~PO4~

Outside the Museum

Prue waited just inside the door of the museum as a security guard passed by. She sighed in relief as his flashlight disappeared around the corner allowing her to exit the maze of guards. Prue hastily descended the stairs, clutching the feather tight in her hand when her eyes caught sight of a man approaching her. She jumped back slightly until she recognized Andy. Her relief was short-lived as she realized the consequences of that fact.

"Uh, Andy. What are you doing here?" Prue asked, biting her lip guiltily.

Andy grabbed her by the arm and pulled her after him. "You're gonna have to come with me, Prue," he ordered, leading the way to where he had parked his car. With no other choice, Prue allowed him, desperately trying to think of a way out of this.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Rex's head snapped up as he heard screaming, followed by Hannah flying through the door of his office. He sighed, dropping some papers back down on his desk as Hannah pushed herself to her feet and tried to act casual.

"I found Matthew," she stated, dusting herself off to hide her embarrassment.

"I can see," Rex replied shortly, glancing over at Matthew, who had come to stand next to Hannah in front of Rex's desk.

"I need to find Prue and stop her," Matthew explained quickly.

Rex shook his head in confusion. "You're supposed to be after Piper, Phoebe, and Paige. I don't under…"

"I got the power of teleportation and premonition. With premonitions I saw the eldest working on the curse. Help me find her," Matthew elaborated.

Rex continued to shake his head. "No, no, no. There's no time to be distracted. You must stay on track. You must obtain the last power," he argued, slamming his hands down on his desk.

"But the curse will end me. They brought Melinda Warren back from the dead to do it," Matthew retorted, losing his patience.

"They did what?" Hannah asked in disbelief.

"I will not go back to oblivion!" Matthew yelled, his voice rising steadily in his anger.

"Listen! Just listen to me…" Rex ordered, forcing himself to lower his tone of voice. "If they're planning to send you back, they'll have to cast the spell at their home," Rex explained, gaining Matthew's attention again.

Matthew shrugged, not understanding the significance in that statement. "So?" Matthew pressed.

Hannah smiled, following Rex's train of thought. "So, Prue will have to return there to do it."

"Which is where you can thwart her and then gain the power to freeze," Rex finished with a smirk of satisfaction.

"I've already tried everything. They'd rather die than give me that," Matthew snapped, causing Hannah to sigh loudly.

Rex glanced down at his desk thoughtfully and opened one of the drawers, revealing a gun. He smiled and passed it over to Matthew. "Try again," he ordered, pointedly tapping the gun.

~PO4~

Outside The Museum

Prue was sitting in the passenger seat of Andy's police car, nervously glancing out the windows as Andy questioned her about the feather.

"Now for the last time, Prue. Why the feather?" Andy asked, holding the feather in his hand so that she could see it.

Prue narrowed her eyes defiantly. "I told you, I already had it from before," she insisted for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"Before what?" Andy questioned casually, receiving a look of disbelief from Prue. "No, go ahead, you can say it. Before breaking and entering the museum, which of course you did after you obstructed justice," he listed, his eyes never leaving her.

"How did I obstruct justice?" Prue demanded, her voice rising. Partially angry, partially worried.

Andy rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, Prue. Don't play dumb with me. I know you too well. You're in a lot of trouble here. Trouble in which I can't help you out of unless you help me," Andy continued beginning to lose his patience.

"Maybe I should talk to a lawyer," Prue countered stubbornly.

"You really wanna go there? You really want me to arrest you, is that it?" Andy challenged. Prue bit her lip and looked away, unable to keep the eye contact as she felt her eyes begin to tear up. "What's the matter with you, Prue? This isn't a game, this is very serious."

Prue took several deep breaths, her thoughts flying to her sisters who needed her to get home. "Andy, please, you have to let me go," Prue pleaded.

Andy shook his head. "No. I can't look the other way anymore, Prue," he told her.

"This isn't just me. It's Piper and Paige and Phoebe," she insisted in desperation.

Andy slammed his hand against the steering wheel of his car in his frustration. "Just tell me what's going on. For once in your life will you just trust me?" he yelled before taking a long deep breath to calm himself. "It's your only choice, Prue."

Prue's eyes narrowed in determination. "Andy, I'm sorry, but I really have to go," Prue stressed, snatching the feather from his hand and starting to push open the door.

"No, Prue, you can't. Prue," Andy ordered, leaning forward to grab her by the arm. Prue spun around in her seat and narrowed her eyes at the airbag, causing it to inflate and trap Andy in his seat. She hastily pushed the door open and slammed it shut while Andy struggled to break free of the airbag. "Prue, get back here. You don't know what you're doing!"  
he called after her to no avail.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"We're ready now. All we need is the feather," Melinda announced as she spooned the rest of the ingredients into a small pouch that would go along with the chant.

Paige was worriedly playing with the edge of the table. "And Prue. How come she's taking so long? You don't think…" she trailed off fearfully.

Phoebe shook her head in disagreement to Paige's worry. "No, she should be fine. Matthew's already copied her power," she offered as reassurance.

"Besides, I sent him to the zoo," Melinda chuckled softly.

"She's probably stuck in traffic," Phoebe added. Paige still didn't look convinced, but fell silent.

Piper came in from the Conservatory and placed the phone back on the counter before walking over to her sisters and Melinda. "Nobody panic. Prue's almost here," Piper spoke up, having heard the end of their conversation.

Melinda nodded and looked from one sister to the next. "When she returns, we'll add the feather and seek out Matthew," she explained the plan to them again.

"Do you think he's gonna be hard to find?" Phoebe asked nervously.

"Not at all," Matthew answered from where he had been silently listening in the doorway of the back door. Piper jumped in surprise while Phoebe and Paige quickly moved protectively around her and Melinda stepped in front of all three of them. "I've waited too long for this moment to hide," he added, approaching the sisters and Melinda.

"This is our battle, Matthew. Leave them alone," Melinda snapped, passing the pouch to Paige for safe-keeping.

Matthew smirked at her fire. "I will have what I came for," Matthew countered, using Prue's telekinesis to bring Piper away from her sisters and into his arms. "Your powers and your death," he laughed as Piper desperately tried to break his grip on her.

"Piper!" Phoebe and Paige both screamed. Phoebe ran forward, but was stopped by Melinda who held her arm out at Matthew looked down at the young woman in his arms. "Freeze me, witch," he ordered.

Piper flashed him a furious glare. "In your dreams," she retorted, refusing to move.

"I said freeze me!" Matthew ordered again, pulling out the gun and pointing it at Piper's head. "Save yourself… No? Then save your sister," Matthew moved the gun away from

Piper and pointed it toward Phoebe. His eyes focused on Melinda with a grin of triumph. "You may have saved her…" he nodded toward Paige "… but you won't be so lucky this time," he warned.

"Phoebe!" Piper called, beginning to panic until she felt the familiar presence of her big sister.

Prue heard the last bit of the exchange and charged into the kitchen, still gripping the feather tightly. "Save yourself," Prue snapped.

Matthew's eyes flickered to Prue and he tossed Piper away from him, pointing the gun straight at Prue. "Give me that feather," he ordered.

In response, Prue narrowed her eyes at the gun, sending it flying out of his hands before squinting at one of the kitchen chairs and sending it flying into a stunned Matthew. She ran forward and handed the feather to Melinda, who placed it into the pouch. Paige threw the pouch into the Wiccan pot while pulling Prue back toward them.

"Piper, now!" Melinda called over the noise of the fight as the pouch was tossed into the pot. Piper threw her hands out, freezing Matthew as Melinda opened the locket and chanted.

"Outside of time, outside of gain  
Know only sorrow, know only pain."

The wind picked up, engulfing Matthew as it had done over three hundred years before. "It is what you deserve," Melinda yelled over his cries.

"This is not the end!" Matthew shouted as he was sucked into the locket and it slammed shut.

"Yes it is. This is for eternity," Melinda promised softly with a triumphant glance toward the four sisters that were huddled together behind her.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

"I followed him, he failed," Hannah announced as soon as she had stepped into the door of Rex's office. "What do we do now?"

Rex shook his head as he paced back and forth. "I don't know. We're gonna have to think of something fast, though. He's gonna be none-too-pleased to learn that we have failed," Rex admitted.

"It wasn't a complete failure, right? I mean, we outed them, proved they're the Charmed Ones, that has to count," Hannah pointed out hopefully.

"It'll buy us a little bit of time, but precious little," Rex countered, desperately trying to pull a plan together.

Hannah jumped to her feet in her frustration. "You should have listened to me, Rex. We should have taken care of them ourselves," she snapped, letting her frustration out.

Rex narrowed his eyes dangerously at her and advanced quickly. "You're right, Hannah. We should've done," he agreed, harshly grabbing the back of her hair and pulling it back.

~PO4~

The San Francisco Police Department

"You're going to wake a judge at this hour? Are you nuts?" Darryl argued as Andy irritably pulled his jacket on.

"I'm getting an arrest warrant. End of discussion," Andy decided, glaring defiantly at his partner. He reached down to grab his keys off his desk and turned to leave.

Darryl rolled his eyes in disbelief. "Based on what?" he demanded, before grabbing Andy's arm to keep him from walking off. "Stealing a feather? He will bust your rank. You will be clearing out parking meters for a living," Darryl warned.

"So I should just let it go, is that it? What about Prue's evading arrest? Am I supposed to let that go too?" Andy shouted, turning on Darryl.

"Damn right. Unless you want to tell the judge exactly how that little lady got away from you," Darryl explained before trailing off in thought. "By the way, exactly how did she get away from you?" he wondered.

Andy frowned and turned away again. "I don't wanna talk about it," he called over his shoulder.

"Trudeau! Take my advice. Let it go. Don't embarrass yourself," Darryl insisted, leaving Andy at the door.

Andy silently fumed for several moments before sighing and throwing his keys back on his desk. His thoughts drifted back to what Prue was hiding. All he had found out was her sisters were involved as well…

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Hearing the front door close from the attic, Piper was sent to check on who it was and get rid of them in order to have privacy when sending Melinda back. She pulled to a halt halfway down the stairs when she saw Leo in the Foyer.

"Leo. You're here. Why're you here?" Piper asked nervously.

Leo smiled slightly at her reaction to his presence. "I thought I'd work on the plumbing in the downstairs bathroom," he reminded her, having told the sisters the previous day of his plan.

"Oh, now's not really a good time. We're getting our cousin, Melinda, ready to go away. Can you come back later? Like, tomorrow?" Piper pleaded politely.

"Sure, no problem," Leo allowed, turning to head out the door with his tools.

Piper bit her lip slightly before taking a deep breath and calling after him. "Uh, Leo?" He turned curiously back to face her. "Would you like to go out sometime? With me, that is?" she asked hopefully.

"I'd love to. Give me a call," Leo answered enthusiastically.

"Okay," Piper breathed, barely believing her luck. She waved one last time before running back up the stairs to her sisters and Melinda.

"Who was it?" Phoebe immediately questioned from where she sat around the small alter. Paige sat next to her, who sat next to Prue, who sat next to where Piper would be sitting, and lastly Melinda on Phoebe's other side.

Piper turned around to close the attic door before answering. "It was Leo."

"Oooh…" Paige giggled childishly, receiving several teasing eye rolls from her elder sisters. Piper blushed but Prue saved her from having to reply.

"Is he gone?" Prue prompted, leaning against the alter.

"We're perfectly safe," Piper assured them, taking her seat between Prue and Melinda.

Melinda reached out to grab the dress that she had been wearing while she was here. She now had on the seventeenth century dress. "Then let's begin," she decided, handing Phoebe the dress they had let her borrow.

"Oh, we can't take those back," Phoebe began sadly.

Melinda looked at her in confusion. "Why not?" she wondered.

Paige smiled sadly, following Phoebe's train of thought. "Because that means you're leaving," Paige finished for her older sister.

"But I have to go," Melinda replied gently.

"Why? Why can't you stay here and have the life that you should've had?" Phoebe asked with a frown.

"Because this isn't my time. This is your time and Prue's, and Piper's and Paige's," Melinda explained, with a glance at each of the sisters in turn.

Piper's eyes had unshed tears in them. "We don't mind sharing."

Melinda smiled softly at each of them. "You four give me great joy. I've seen the Charmed Ones. Good witches, women of strength and grace," Melinda stated proudly.

Phoebe reached out and grabbed Melinda's hand, gently pressing it against her heart. "Tell me what you see?" Phoebe whispered.

Melinda closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again she had tears in her eyes as well. "I see the future. Many more generations of my beautiful daughters. I see my dreams fulfilled. Oh, thank you for that." She reached out and grabbed the locket, placing it around her neck before, a little reluctantly, joining hands with the four sisters.

Everyone's eyes turned to Prue, who had agreed to say the releasing spell. "Melinda Warren, blood of our blood, we release you," Prue breathed.

"Blessed be, my daughters, I love you," Melinda called as the white orbs swirled around her and she disappeared.

There was a moment of silence between the four sisters as they all thought about their ancestor. Phoebe slowly pulled her hands away. "I'm gonna miss her," she admitted.

"Me too," Piper agreed.

Paige wiped her eyes where a stray tear had fallen. "She was so cool…" Paige added.

Prue's eyes flickered sympathetically from each of her sisters. "We can always bring her back," she reminded them. All four sisters smiled at the thought before working together to clean up the evidence of the ritual.


	19. Wicca Envy (Part 1)

Wicca Envy

The Halliwell Manor

"I don't know, Phoebe. The Betsey Johnson dress may be a bit too much for work," Prue admitted, stepping through the door that Paige had opened for two of her elder sisters.

Prue dropped her dozens of bags and packages on the floor just inside the Foyer followed by Phoebe.

Paige closed the door behind them and, giggling at their debate that they had been having since leaving the store, wrapped her arms around both their shoulders. "I, for one, think Phoebe's right, but when you do wear it to work, I want to come. Everyone's eyes will follow you and I want to witness."

Prue rolled her eyes and Phoebe, grinning at Paige, nodded in agreement. "Besides, that's what a new wardrobe's all about. Pushing the limit," Phoebe insisted.

"Yeah and stretching the budget," Prue muttered, her eyes flickering over all the bags that now covered the floor of the Foyer. She shrugged Paige's arm off her shoulder, biting her lip slightly in thought. "Maybe I should just check with Piper," She decided, much to Phoebe and Paige's disappointment.

Before either of the younger Halliwells could argue anymore, laughing drifted in from the Solarium. The three sisters all glanced up in curiosity to find Piper, skimpily clad, heading for the stairs with Leo. Leo originally had his back to Prue, Phoebe, and Paige but spun around toward the stairs, pulling Piper along behind him.

Piper's eyes widened slightly as she caught sight of her sisters' teasing stares. "Oh my god, Prue!" she exclaimed throwing her hands up and freezing Leo at the stairs. She walked forward, tripping over the suddenly frozen Leo and went sliding across the Foyer to stop just in front of Prue, Phoebe, and Paige.

Prue giggled, Phoebe's hand flew to her mouth in an attempt to hide her laughter and Paige, her eyes shining with her own silent laughter, reached down and pulled a blushing Piper to her feet.

"I'm so embarrassed," Piper whispered as Prue also reached down and helped pull Piper up.

"Of course, she might have other things on her mind like having her way with the handyman," Phoebe joked, glancing toward Prue pointedly and waving her arm toward where Leo stood frozen next to the stairs.

Paige looked around Piper and glanced over Leo appreciatively. "Wow, who knew handymen were so… captivating," she laughed, flashing an innocent smile towards Prue, who smacked her on the arm for Piper.

Piper was giving Paige a death-glare. "I thought you guys were supposed to be shopping," Piper changed the subject with a grateful glance toward Prue. She ran a hand through her hair trying to cool off her embarrassment.

"Obviously," Prue teased while Phoebe's eyes flickered to Piper's unbuttoned shirt.

"Oh, look, front clasp bra. She means business," Phoebe announced.

"Serious business," Prue agreed with a slight nod.

"Been unclasped yet?" Paige couldn't help but ask.

Piper returned her question with a glare. "What would make you ask that?" Piper demanded indignantly with narrowed eyes as she wrapped the shirt tightly around her.

"Well… I think that shirt is a bit too big to be yours," Paige replied with a sly wink towards Phoebe, who burst into another fit of giggles.

"Do you mind?" Piper countered with a roll of her eyes, deciding it best not to answer the actual question.

"No, are you kidding? I think it's great," Phoebe exclaimed. "As long as he's not still on the clock,"she added as an afterthought.

"That's what I mean. You guys have to get out of here before he unfreezes. I never know how long this thing lasts," Piper explained, motioning toward her freezing Leo. Her brown eyes flickered to look at the boxes that littered the floor of the Foyer. "How much did you guys spend?" she wondered in disbelief.

Phoebe followed Piper's eyes to the bags. "Lots. Prue's new look is perfect for a SHW."

Prue glanced over at Phoebe in confusion. "SHW?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

"Single Hot Witch," Phoebe answered promptly without looking away from Piper.

"Hmm…" Prue whispered thoughtfully.

Paige smiled mischievously toward Phoebe. "I think you should change it to double S, W (SSW)" she retorted.

"Why?" Phoebe demanded, earning glances from Prue and Piper.

"That way it can be Single Sexy Witches," Paige quipped with a smirk and Phoebe frowned thoughtfully.

Piper rolled her eyes and turned her attention toward Prue. "Prue, are you sure this isn't depression buying, you know, post-breakup?" she asked pointedly.

Phoebe reached down into a nearby bag and pulled out a bright red, sexy, piece of lingerie, earning wide eyes from Piper. "Does this look like something a depressed woman would wear?" Phoebe countered, laughing at Piper's reaction.

Prue took the piece of lingerie from Phoebe and pushed it toward Piper. "Hmm… maybe you should borrow it," she teased.

Piper pushed it away and finally had enough of her three giggling sisters. "Okay, time's up. You gotta go," she ordered pushing them toward the Conservatory.

"Wait! The bags," Paige hissed, fighting against Piper's push.

"Oh, I got them," Prue announced, focusing on the bags. They suddenly disappeared and she grinned triumphantly while her sisters stared in shock.

"What'd you do?" Paige demanded, looking around everywhere for them.

Prue shrugged. "Don't know, but they're now in my room," she announced smugly, getting pushed into the Conservatory along with Phoebe and Paige.

"That is so unfair!" Phoebe snapped, but was interrupted by Piper.

"Stay in there and be quiet," Piper ordered with a last glare toward her sisters. Piper quickly walked back towards Leo.

"We will if you will," Phoebe's voice drifted out of the Conservatory.

Piper grabbed hold of Leo's hand like she had been when she had frozen him and he unfroze several moments later. He continued pulling Piper after him as if nothing had happened. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige ran out to stand in the doorway to the Conservatory, laughing and giggling as Piper disappeared up the stairs. Piper gave them another pointed glare, which went unnoticed by Leo, and Prue grabbed both her youngest sisters' arms and pulled them back into the Conservatory.

~PO4~

Prue walked into her room, all the bags of clothes scattering the floor and Kit playing with one of the bags that had been knocked over. She ran a hand through her hair before unzipping her sweater. Behind her Rex astral projected, invisible to her eyes, but Kit hissed menacingly toward him in an attempt to warn Prue. Prue tilted her head questioningly at Kit and took several steps toward her.

"Kit, what is it?" she called soothingly, though she glanced behind her a little nervously.

Rex moved around behind Prue, ignoring Kit. "You forgot to unpack your briefcase when you got home from work. You want to do it right now," he spoke.

Prue's eyes flickered to her briefcase as the thought registered in her mind. She re-zipped her sweater and sat down at her desk, reaching for her briefcase. She opened the briefcase revealing folders, other papers, and a tiara.

"What you are about to pick up is a tiara, but you really believe it's your datebook," Rex continued calmly.

Prue reached into her briefcase and picked up the tiara which, to her, looked like her black datebook.

"Now put it in your desk, just like you always do," Rex ordered.

Prue obeyed, opening the drawer to her desk and placing her 'datebook' inside.

Rex smiled triumphantly. "Excellent. Now you want to continue getting ready for bed," he finished.

Prue ran her hand through her hair again with a quick yawn. She reached down and took her shoes off before unzipping her sweater again. Rex looked over appreciatively, but Prue stopped as Kit jumped up onto the desk. Kit hissed at Rex while Prue stroked the cat, glancing around behind her curiously. Rex rolled his eyes, slightly disappointed and astral projected out.

~PO4~

Buckland's Auction House

Rex returned to his body and opened his eyes to see Hannah waiting for him to fill her in. "Well?" Hannah prompted with raised eyebrows.

Rex chuckled softly and nodded in triumph. "Prue did exactly as I told her to. You know, I rather like this new power," he commented, leaning back casually into his chair.

"Are you sure she didn't see you?" Hannah pressed, a little disbelieving.

"No, no. She didn't see me. I was invisible," Rex assured her.

Hannah narrowed her eyes in confusion. "But then, how did you get there?"

Rex rolled his eyes and looked away. "I've explained this to you, Hannah. It's called Astral Projection. With it I can transport myself psychically and implant a subliminal thought into Prue's brain. Just like I did when I tricked her into leaving the vault today with the tiara. See, I planted the thought and made her think she came out empty handed," he explained as simply as he could.

Hannah continued to look confused. "I still don't understand how it works," she admitted with a shrug.

"Watch," Rex ordered, getting up from his seat on the couch and crossing his office to stand against his desk. He concentrated and astral projected next Hannah on the couch.

"You want to disrobe for him… desperately," he stated before allowing himself to return to his body.

Hannah slowly stood up from her place on the couch and began unbuttoning her jacket.

"Understand now, Hannah?" Rex asked rhetorically, watching as Hannah let her jacket slip to the floor.

The Halliwell Manor

Locked in her room, Prue went through her dozens of bags of clothes that she had bought the day before trying to pick out an outfit for work. After finally picking an outfit, shoes and purse included, she looked up at a knock on her door. Prue narrowed her eyes and the door swung open to reveal Paige, who cheerily skipped in still wearing her comfortable lounge clothes.

Paige's eyes flickered over all the outfits that littered the floor and furniture and smirked at her sister. "Have trouble picking an outfit?" she guessed with a teasing glance toward Prue.

Prue looked away from the mirror to face Paige. "Uh, is it that obvious?" Prue joked, waving her hand around the room. "Did you need something?" she wondered curiously.

"Actually, I was hoping that I could borrow some of your clothes…" Paige explained, trailing off at the look Prue was giving her. "It's important. See I have this important meeting with a woman who Mr. Cowan directed to me. And your clothes are more professional than mine…" Paige pleaded turning wide puppy eyes on her eldest sister.

"Stop that," Prue ordered, speaking of the puppy eyes and Paige immediately looked away. Prue's eyes flickered over her baby sister and then toward some of the outfits trying to choose the best one for her. She focused on her chosen outfit, a pair of matching shoes, and a matching purse. All three items disappeared and reappeared neatly on the bed in front of Paige. With a satisfied smile Prue turned her attention to all the other clothes, narrowing her eyes they all flew into her closet, hanging themselves up while all the shoes lined up on the floor.

Paige raised her eyebrows in shock. "Okay, how did you do that…? Again," she demanded, hands on her hips and eyes narrowed at Prue.

Prue looked back at her thoughtfully. "Remember the first day we got our powers and I moved the cream into my coffee at the bar?" she began receiving a nod of confirmation from Paige. "It's the same thing. Not quite telekinesis." Prue shrugged.

"Spiffy… anyways, thanks for the clothes. I'll meet you downstairs!" Paige called cheerily, grabbing the outfit and dashing into Prue's bathroom which was the nearest.

Prue rolled her eyes and made her way down the stairs to find Phoebe waiting for her at the bottom.

Phoebe stopped pointedly in front of Prue, leaning against the rails of the stairs. "If you were an employment agency, wouldn't you want me?" she asked dramatically.

Prue smiled, her eyes traveling over Phoebe's dress suit. "Maybe, but I'd definitely want my suit back," she answered cheekily, jumping off the last stair and facing Phoebe with a mock glare.

"No, this is part of your old wardrobe. I'm just recycling," Phoebe defended lightly.

"Well, the environment thanks you but…" Prue began, crossing her arms.

"…Take it off, I know, I know," Phoebe sighed seeming a little disgruntled.

Prue and Phoebe both glanced up at the stairs as Paige's voice carried down the stairs to them. "Guys, stop her!" Paige called, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. The two sisters looked confused until Piper, followed very closely by a now-dressed-up Paige came running down the stairs.

"Hi, bye," Piper offered shortly, racing around her sisters.

"Piper!" Prue ordered, her eyes following her younger sister's attempt at escaping. She was pleased to see that Piper stopped and reluctantly turned to face them as Paige jumped down beside Prue and Phoebe. "Didn't you have to go in early this morning?" Prue continued pointedly.

Piper smiled awkwardly and played with her hands. "Right, that was the plan. I'm running a little late. Um, just took a little longer to get out of bed this morning than I planned," she explained quickly. She blushed slightly when her three sisters exchanged knowing glances. "Okay, bye," Piper finished, spinning around and heading for the front door.

"Wait!" Her three sisters yelled after her. Paige orbed out to orb back in between Piper and the front door while Phoebe and Prue overtook a stunned Piper, joining on either side of a smug-looking Paige.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You, Leo, last night, dish," Phoebe ordered, leaning forward eagerly.

"Um, well, it was nice. It was… well, it was wonderful. We just had a few problems," Piper admitted with a nervous laugh.

There was a moment of stunned silence before Prue began giggling uncontrollably at Piper's 'problems' receiving a glare from Piper while Phoebe and Paige frowned in confusion.

"Okay, you guys have got to stop with the silent conversations," Phoebe ranted, crossing her arms in irritation.

Paige just rolled her eyes and Prue, still giggling, leaned into Paige's shoulder for support. "What problems?" Paige demanded, dying of cur

Piper stayed in his arms for a moment, enjoying the feeling. "Bye," she finally breathed, tearing herself away from him.

"Bye," Leo repeated in a whisper, watching as Piper finally left for work.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue and Phoebe stepped out of the elevator to find the twelfth floor filled with officers moving back and forth questioning workers. Prue and Phoebe exchanged a confused glance as they traversed through the crowd, Prue looking for someone to ask about the situation. Her eyes landed on a friendly security guard by the name of Jaime.

"Jaime, hey. What's going on? What happened?" Prue asked looking around with eyes narrowed in concern. She tightened her link with Phoebe as several people pushed past them, almost taking Phoebe with them.

Jaime looked up from his papers to meet Prue's eyes. "We got robbed last night, Prue," he explained quickly. He sighed audibly and looked away.

Prue's mouth dropped in surprise. "You're kidding. What was stolen?" Prue demanded.

"The Romanov tiara," the security guard answered, his voice clearly projecting his worry.

"Oh my god. Not the tiara," Prue breathed, looking toward Phoebe. She looked up at the sound of Rex trying to gain her attention.

"Prue!" Rex called over the busy floor.

Prue frowned and turned sympathetic eyes onto her boss. "Rex, hi. Jaime just told me," she replied.

Rex gave the slightest of nods. "Yeah," he sighed, his eyes flickering to Phoebe who was still linked with Prue. "Hello, Phoebe. Nice to see you again," Rex greeted politely.

"Hi, Rex. I'm sorry about what happened," Phoebe offered also giving him a sympathetic look.

"Yeah, me too. A loss of this magnitude could severely damage our reputation and who is going to consign anything with us if…" Rex began.

"No, no, no. We just have to get the tiara back before word gets out," Prue interrupted, trying to shed a little optimism into the situation.

Rex smiled slightly at Prue's words. "I agree. Will you take point on this then, you know, help the police?" he asked hopefully, nodding toward the officers. "You're really the only one that I can trust," he added.

Prue looked shocked at the sudden confession. "Sure… but what about you?" Prue wondered.

"Unfortunately, I've got another commitment tonight that I really can't get out of. It's, uh, some good friends who are giving a concert and, uh, well I promised I wouldn't miss it," Rex explained.

"Oh, yeah? Who?" Phoebe asked curiously, tilting her head slightly to the side.

Rex's eyes flickered from Prue back to Phoebe. "The Verve."

Phoebe's eyes widened. "Get out! Are you serious?" she demanded, earning a soft giggle and a teasing look from Prue.

"Why, you know them?" Rex laughed.

"Know them? I worship them. Bittersweet symphony is like the best song ever!" Phoebe exclaimed.

"Really?" Rex stated thoughtfully receiving an enthusiastic nod from Phoebe. "I have an idea. Why not join me tonight? I'm sure I can rustle up another ticket," he suggested cheerfully.

Prue immediately frowned and her eyes narrowed suspiciously as her big sister instincts kicked in. Not to mention this was her boss wanting to take her sister out.

Rex didn't miss the face, but knew that when asked directly Prue wouldn't intervene. "Well, you wouldn't mind, would you, Prue?

Phoebe glanced a little nervously toward her eldest sister while Prue forced a laugh. "Of course not. Why would I mind?" Prue asked a hint of sarcasm in her tone that Rex and Phoebe conveniently missed.

"Then it's a date. Well, figuratively speaking, of course," Rex decided, flashing a smile toward Phoebe.

"Of course," Prue muttered, feigning approval.

"Yeah, um, pick you up at 7:00, alright?" Rex offered to Phoebe

Phoebe grinned and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds great, thanks." She glanced over to look at Prue, suddenly remembering her time limit with the car. "Uh, oh, look at the time. I gotta get going. Hey, I promise I'll have the car back by noon."

"Uh, huh," Prue acknowledged before turning, a little awkwardly back to her boss.

Rex reached out and gently shook Prue's shoulder in a sign of gratitude. "Thanks for pitching in, Prue," he appreciated, turning away and heading toward his office door.

Prue was left to stare after him and allowed her forced smile to disappear. Behind her Andy came from a nearby hallway and caught sight of her. He changed directions so that he intercepted her. "Prue," he greeted politely if not pleasantly.

Prue turned to look at him, inwardly cringing at him being here after their last meeting hadn't ended so well. "Andy, uh, are you on this case too?" she wondered, smiling nervously.

"Yep, guess fate keeps throwing us together," Andy commented with a shrug. He took the resulting moment of silence to consider her. He could tell she was a little uncertain about him, probably about how he was going to react considering how they had left each other last.

Hannah caught sight of the two and approached them, recognizing a good opportunity to instill doubt into Prue's former lover and, as it turned out, the investigating cop. "You two know each other?" she asked as much as stated. "Forgot."

Prue looked away from Andy and narrowed her eyes slightly. "No you didn't," Prue countered, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Hannah returned with a glare, both women stiffening at the other's presence, which Andy's sharp eyes didn't miss. "Well, I suggested that the Inspector speak with you since you were the last one to actually see the tiara," she replied, the insinuation clear.

Prue, silently fuming, rolled her eyes and chanced a glance toward Andy. Andy met her gaze, his expression unreadable though he found the tense atmosphere between Hannah and Prue interesting and insightful. He broke eye contact with Prue to glance at Hannah when she began to speak directly to him.

"If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to call," Hannah finished just before Darryl intruded upon the conversation.

"We'd like to see the security tapes from last night as soon as possible," Darryl ordered, speaking directly to Hannah. He started to walk away, pausing when Hannah spoke.

"Oh, yeah. I'm sure Prue can arrange that," Hannah decided receiving a nod from Prue. "Excuse me," she added, turning to head into Rex's office.

Prue glanced back at Andy to find him avoiding her eyes. "How are you?" she asked, trying to end the awkward silence.

He smiled and met her gaze. "Okay," Andy answered with a shrug. There was another short moment of silence before he decided it best just to get down to business. "It'd be better if you just stopped by the station later on so we could talk about all this. 1:00?" he suggested.

Prue gave the slightest of nods. "Sure," she agreed, sighing softly as she watched him leave without another word.

~PO4~

"I can't believe you're taking that little witch to the concert. Rex, that was my ticket!" Hannah snapped, crossing her arms in her anger and glaring at Rex.

Rex looked slightly surprised at the outburst as he shut the door, keeping any of their conversation from being heard outside his office. "Hannah, kitten," he soothed, purring pointedly as he took a calm step toward her. "You know I'm only doing it to upset Prue. All the better to frame her and force the sisters to relinquish their powers," Rex continued, stopping in front of Hannah and fiddling with the collar of her suit.

Hannah rolled her eyes. "How do you know they even can?" Hannah muttered.

"They have a special spell in the Book of Shadows. When the time comes, they'll use it. Trust me," he whispered in her ear as he slowly moved around behind Hannah. Hannah turned her head to follow him with her eyes and he pulled her into a kiss.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Prue leaned back into the chair next to Andy's desk as he questioned her on the break-in while he wrote her answers down on a sheet of paper.

"You said you put the tiara back in the vault before you left. Was anybody else there?" Andy asked.

"Security guard, Jaime," Prue answered promptly.

Andy nodded slightly, writing something down before continuing. "Did he lock up the vault?"

"No, I did," Prue admitted.

"Okay, did you happen to take anything out of the vault when you left?" Andy questioned, trying to word the question carefully.

"No," Prue replied indignantly. Her eyes narrowed as she realized where the questioning was going. She looked away from Andy and noticed Darryl standing behind her. "Is this an interview or an interrogation?" Prue demanded.

"I'm sorry. I'm just trying to get all the facts, that's all," Andy apologized, watching as Prue calmed slightly though she was far from relaxed.

Darryl noticed the exchange and decided to step in. "The problem is there were no signs of forced entry into the Auction House or the vault," he explained.

"So do you think one of the employees might have stolen it?" Prue suggested, turning in her seat to face him.

"Strong possibility," Darryl replied and Prue frowned even more.

"Someone like me," she decided bitterly, her eyes narrowed at the implied accusation.

Andy shook his head immediately and cast a glare towards Darryl. "No, don't be ridiculous," he assured her. Prue glanced over at him gratefully, but didn't miss the conflicting opinions between Darryl and Andy.

"Still, we have to check out everyone's story. Grand larceny's big time. Could cost a person fifteen, twenty years easily," Darryl continued, giving Andy a warning glance.

Andy rolled his eyes at Darryl's subtle tactic and irritably shut the file on his desk before standing up and cutting in. "I think we got enough for now, Prue. If we have any other questions, we'll give you a call," Andy decided, shaking her hand professionally.

Prue stood up and gave a slight nod. "Well, you know where to reach me."

"I think I still remember," Andy agreed, offering her a smile before she turned and left. His eyes followed her until the doors blocked his view and he turned on Darryl. "What was all that about?" he demanded, pointing toward where Prue had disappeared.  
"  
You tell me," Darryl countered, shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket. "Last time you were ready to bust her for stealing a feather and now you think she's Ms. Innocent?"

"That was a whole different situation. Completely unrelated," Andy argued

Darryl sighed and looked away for a moment. "Look, I'm not saying she did it, alright? But you have to admit a lot of the arrows are pointing in her direction," he pointed out.

Andy was about to argue when he continued. "There's also this. Security tapes that Prue brought over. One's missing. The one from the vault," Darryl finished, holding up the security tapes for his partner.

Andy looked over the tapes before looking back toward the doors that Prue had left through. He sighed and turned away, trying to piece together what was now going on with her.

~PO4~

Quake

Prue leaned against the bar as Piper counted the money in the cash register. Prue's eyes watched her thoughtfully for several moments before she said anything.

"You're glowing," Prue finally decided, causing Piper to pause in her counting and give her eldest sister a confused look. "Your face, total afterglow," Prue elaborated.

Piper rolled her eyes and shook her head. "It is not. It's just warm in here," she countered with a half-smile.

"Mmhmm…" Prue laughed and let the subject drop, though she was sure she saw Piper blush slightly at the comment.

"Prue! Piper!" Paige yelled over the noise of the always crowded popular restaurant, causing both the elder Halliwells to jump in surprise and look around toward their youngest sister. "You will never believe this… I don't think I'm gonna get promoted," Paige cried slamming her hea

"By the way, how'd it go with the police?" Rex wondered curiously.

"Uh, well, they think it's an inside job actually," Prue admitted, leaving out the part about her being a suspect. Rex didn't need to know that specifically.

Rex frowned and looked away thoughtfully. "Do they? How disturbing," he stated, shaking his head as if it hurt him to hear it.

"Okay, shop talk later. We're gonna grab a table, okay?" Phoebe stepped in before the conversation ruined the night. She looked to Piper hopefully.

Piper smiled slightly and nodded, looking around the restaurant. "Take that one by the window. I'll send, uh, Cindy over," Piper promised, pointing to her right.

Rex turned to follow Phoebe, but hesitated, turning back to Prue. "You're welcome to join us, Prue," he offered politely.

Prue forced a smile but shook her head. "No thanks. I think I'll pass." Her eyes followed Phoebe and Rex through the crowd until they had disappeared.

"Ugh…" Paige groaned as she saw Rex put his arm around Phoebe.

"She's a big girl, you two," Piper pointed out.

"Meaning?" Prue demanded, suddenly defensive while Paige raised her eyebrows, prompting an elaboration.

"He's rich, he's stable, he's handsome. We should be happy for her," Piper explained, staring sternly at Prue and Paige.

Prue rolled her eyes. "I'm thrilled," she lied.

"Please tell me, you're not jealous, Prue," Paige pleaded, causing Piper to laugh at the thought.

Prue glared at Piper before replying. "No, definitely not. More like… territorial."

Paige looked relieved and her eyes flickered toward Phoebe. "I don't like him… I get a bad feeling," she admitted, glancing back to Prue and Piper, who both frowned. They always took her 'feelings' very seriously.

"I knew I shouldn't have let her near him…" Prue sighed, dropping her head in her hands.

"You don't think this has anything to do with the stolen tiara, do you? I mean, isn't it a little convenient," Paige stated and her eldest sisters' eyes narrowed in suspicion.

Piper shook her head, but she wasn't sure if she actually meant it. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Paigey," she warned, though her eyes flickered to where Rex and Phoebe sat around the table.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

The next morning, Prue sat in one of the large armchairs in the Conservatory reading the paper while Piper was sprawled out along the couch, talking on the phone with Leo. They could hear the sounds of Paige pouring cereal into a bowl from the kitchen followed by two sets of approaching footsteps. One from the kitchen, the other from the stairs.

"Good morning," Phoebe greeted. Phoebe's eyes caught sight of the large box of roses on the table in front of the stairs. "Wow, roses. Who are they for?" she asked hopefully.

Prue glanced up with a forced smile. "Guess."

Piper bit her lip slightly, recognizing the none-too-happy look from the eldest Halliwell sister. "Leo, I need to call you back. Something's about to come up. I'll see you later, okay? Bye," she finished hastily before dropping the phone back on the cradle.

Phoebe had picked up the card and was now reading it with a dreamy sigh. "'Phoebe, thank you for a lovely evening, the job is on its way. Rex,'" she read cheerfully, dropping the card back on the table to look back at the flowers. "Ah, what a sweetheart." Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked over her gift. "Wait, who opened the box?" she demanded, staring pointedly at Prue.

Piper jumped up from her seat on the couch and moved toward Phoebe. "I can't get over how beautiful these are, can you Prue?" she commented in an attempt to deter an argument.

"So, it must have been quite a night, you know, after the concert," Prue observed, ignoring Piper's question. Piper was nervously holding the roses, biting her lip at the impending argument.

Phoebe raised her eyebrows and nodded slightly. "Hmm…" she murmured thoughtfully.

"I'll put these in some water," Piper announced as cheerfully as she could. "Come on, Paige," she ordered, giving her baby sister a glare as Paige appeared with her bowl of cereal in the doorway.

Paige looked confused and glanced between Phoebe and Prue and the flowers in Piper's hand, mentally putting the pieces together. For a moment Paige frowned as if she wanted to argue, but decided it best to follow, leaving Prue and Phoebe alone in the Conservatory.

"All I did was tell Rex that I was going to the employment agency. He said he'd make a few calls and help me out. So, what's the big problem?" Phoebe demanded, crossing her arms defiantly.

Prue sighed and forced herself to calm down about the situation. "Phoebe, really, it's none of my business," she admitted, sitting up as the doorbell rang through their house. "It's just, watch what you say to him, okay? Because there are certain things I don't want my boss to know about me," Prue requested, leaving Phoebe in the Conservatory to answer the front door. She pulled the door open to find Andy and Darryl waiting outside. "Andy, uh, what are you doing here?" she asked nervously. From their looks it definitely wasn't a social call.

Andy glanced toward Darryl for a moment, having dreaded this confrontation. "We're here to search your house for the tiara, Prue," he explained, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a piece of paper. "We've got a search warrant."

Prue moved to the side as Andy and Darryl pushed past her into the house, leaving her to close the door behind them. She turned to watch them walk through her house in stunned silence until she heard her sisters asking them about their presence.

 

~PO4~

Andy and Darryl had now made their way through to Prue's room after checking the first floor and every other room on the second floor. The four sisters were crowded around behind trying to piece together what was going on. Phoebe looked furious, Paige looked defiant, Piper was stunned, and Prue was unusually silent as she watched them sort through every room.

"Wait, how could you guys even think that Prue stole the tiara?" Phoebe demanded, hitting off the accusatory conversation for what felt like the umpteenth time.

Andy closed the dresser drawer that he was searching through before answering. "We don't, Phoebe, not necessarily," he assured her, continuing to the next drawer while Darryl moved to the other end of the room to search.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and turned back to Andy. "Well, then what are you doing here? Spring cleaning?" she snapped sarcastically.

"Phoebe, calm down," Paige whispered, linking arms with her older sister. Phoebe reluctantly went silent.

"Any idea where the vault security cam tape is?" Darryl asked Prue from where he was searching near her bed.

Prue looked confused for a moment. "I gave you the tapes," she reminded them.

Darryl smiled and shook his head. "Uh uh, not that one."

Prue looked even more confused while Piper and Paige exchanged a glance and Phoebe narrowed her eyes angrily.

"It wasn't there, Prue," Andy backed up his partner as he opened her desk drawer where the tiara was sitting. He was looking at Prue closely, trying to judge her reaction.

Piper's eyes widened at the sight of the tiara. "Whoo!" she hissed, running forward and freezing Andy and Darryl before either of them caught sight of the tiara.

"Oh my god!" Paige exclaimed also catching sight of it.

Prue and Phoebe couldn't see around Andy to where the tiara was. "Why did you do that?" Prue demanded, too caught up in her emotions to follow their actions.

Piper ran forward and pulled the tiara out of the drawer and ran back to Prue. "That's why," she hissed, holding the tiara up so Prue could see it.

Prue's eyes widened and Phoebe's mouth dropped in surprise. "Uh, no, no, no, wait. That's not possible. How did it get there?" Prue babbled beginning to head towards hysteria.

"I don't know but you better come up with an answer quick before they unfreeze," Piper replied, motioning back toward the frozen Andy and Darryl.

"Someone must have planted it there," Phoebe decided immediately.

"Who? Someone has been in our house?" Piper countered sounding worried at the thought.

Rex astral projected into the room next to where Andy was frozen, watching the conversation with interest.

Paige ran a hand through her hair nervously. "Oh, this is bad. Very bad…" she muttered with wide eyes.

Prue shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Just let them find it. I've nothing to hide. I'm innocent," Prue insisted in desperation.

"That doesn't look very innocent, Prue," Phoebe argued. "Piper, hide it," she ordered with a shrug.

"The pillows!" Paige suggested, pointing toward them.

Piper nodded and ran around the frozen men to push the tiara under the mass of pillows on Prue's bed. With a satisfied half smile she ran back to her sisters, just in time for the freeze to wear off.

Darryl and Andy continued their search through the drawer and the shelf when Rex leaned toward Andy. "I think you should check under the pillows," Rex advised.

"Morris, check under the pillows," Andy called, pointing toward Prue's bed.

All four sisters' eyes widened as Darryl walked past them toward the bed. Piper ran forward and froze him before he reached them.

"Tiara!" Paige called and the tiara orbed into her hand. She looked at her sisters for help.

"How did he know to look there?" Piper ranted, giving a glare at Darryl and crossing her arms.

Phoebe shrugged and looked around the room. "Uh, put it in the dresser. He's already looked there."

Paige quickly tossed the tiara in the middle drawer of the dresser and ran back to stand next to Prue, Phoebe, and Piper. Andy and Darryl again unfroze and continued their search.

Rex, who had remained unfrozen, leaned toward Andy again. "You want to look in the dresser again."

Andy looked toward the dresser and began to head toward it. As soon as he passed Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige, Piper threw her hands up and froze the room again.

Rex rolled his eyes and followed, standing next to Piper. "This is getting ridiculous," he ranted.

"This is getting ridiculous," Piper quoted, throwing her hands up dramatically.

"No, eerie is more like it," Prue observed.

Phoebe stalked past Andy and took the tiara back out of the dresser. With a glare at Andy and Darryl she headed out the door. "I will be right back," she promised.

"Don't worry, I'll just keep freezing them until they give up," Piper assured Prue.

"Yeah, and once they leave we can figure this out," Paige added, receiving a nod from Prue.

Rex, losing his patience, leaned toward Piper. "You're a miserable witch."

Prue tilted her head curiously at the sudden thought in Piper's head. "What's the matter?" Prue asked, trying to figure out why Piper thought she was a miserable witch when she had been perfectly fine a moment before.

Piper shrugged looking confused. "I don't know. I feel like calling a shrink for some reason," Piper admitted.

Paige looked concerned, but shrugged it off in an effort to lighten the tense atmosphere. "No need to pay for one of those. I'm qualified."

Phoebe came running back in, slightly breathless from the run and stopped next to her sisters. "Okay, I put it in the, uh…" she trailed off as the room unfroze and Andy and Darryl continued searching for the third time. "…attic," Phoebe whispered in Prue's ear.

Rex shook his head and astral projected out.

"Nothing. I think that's good enough for now, Morris," Andy decided, leaning against the dresser. "I'm sorry about all this, Prue. I really am," Andy apologized as Darryl walked around the sisters to get back to the door.

Prue nodded slightly but turned away and leaned into Piper. "Yeah, I know," she whispered.

"Come on, Trudeau. Let's go," Darryl ordered, walking out the door with Andy just behind him.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Rex's astral form returned to his body to find Hannah sitting on the other side of his desk. "Witches…" he muttered sounding furious. In his anger he knocked several things off his desk which took Hannah by surprise.

"Well, did the police find the tiara?" Hannah asked, fingering her glasses.

Rex pushed his chair away from his desk and stood up. "No. Piper kept freezing them and moving it," he explained, pacing irritably around his office.

Hannah raised her eyebrows at the information. "Well, how can we frame her if they can't even find the evidence?" she demanded.

"Shh," Rex turned on her, taking a few moments to think his plan through. "We're gonna have to up the stakes," he decided, his face slowly splitting into a confident grin.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Somebody is obviously trying to set me up and they're using magic to do it," Prue concluded as she paced back and forth around the Conservatory.

Phoebe was repositioning her roses so they stood out more, Piper was dusting, and Paige sat in the armchair, where Prue had been sitting earlier in the morning, watching Prue pace.

"But who?" Piper asked, looking up from her dusting for a moment.

"And how?" Paige added, her eyebrows furrowing in thought.

Phoebe turned away from her flowers to look at her sisters. "Pick a warlock, any warlock," she stated with a roll of her eyes.

The sisters heard the door open moments before Leo came into the room. "Hey, what were the police doing here?" he wondered, looking at Piper for an explanation.

"Oh, nothing much, really," Piper lied, offering him a half-smile.

"Is it alright if I go upstairs and fix the bathroom sink?" Leo continued, pointing toward the stairs.

"Oh, knock yourself out, Leo," Phoebe allowed cheerfully.

Leo smiled gratefully and walked off toward the stairs leaving Piper to stare after him dreamily.

Phoebe watched him leave before glancing at Prue and Paige. "Did anyone ever think that maybe he's a warlock."

Piper glared at her and stopped twirling her duster while Paige giggled softly at her reaction. "Why is it always someone I'm dating that gets accused of being that?" Piper demanded sounding resentful. Paige opened her mouth to reply, but 

Piper shook her head. "Don't answer that," Piper snapped just before the phone began to ring. "Answer that, it's safer," she ordered, pointing her duster at the phone.

Prue smiled and took up the phone. "Hello? Uh, yeah, hi Rex. Look, I'm on my way in…" she began but trailed off as Rex replied. Prue frowned slightly and looked toward Phoebe.

"Of course, hold on," Prue continued. "It's for you." Prue offered the phone to Phoebe before going to stand next to Paige.

"Hello? Yes, I got the flowers and they're beautiful. That was so sweet of you. They made quite an impression over here too," Phoebe gushed, swatting at Piper, who was irritating her by 'attacking' her with the duster. Phoebe watched Prue roll her eyes at the conversation. "Dinner party? Yes, I would love to. Hold on, let me get a pen." Phoebe walked off into an adjoining room.

Piper walked over to stand next to Prue and Paige. "You don't really think its Leo, do you?" she asked, sounding worried.

Paige shook her head immediately. "No, Leo doesn't give me a creepy feeling. In fact, he's kind of peaceful," she soothed Piper. There was a moment of silence in which Paigedebated mentioning the search. "I didn't say anything before, but when Andy and Darryl were searching the house I felt something bad…" she admitted, biting her lip slightly.

Prue frowned thoughtfully. "What do you mean 'bad'?"

Paige shrugged. "I don't know, but it was kinda weird that Andy and Darryl seemed to know where the tiara was without really knowing it… If that makes any sense, and just before they left the feeling disappeared," she explained as best she could. "It just seems too coincidental."

"I agree, something weird is going on. So, what are we going to do? Do you have any idea who it could be that's setting you up?" Piper asked, glancing at Prue for the last question.

"It's got to be someone at the auction house. And if I had to guess, I would start with the person that said they were out to destroy me," Prue surmised.

"Hannah?" Piper pressed.

Prue smiled. "Smart girl," she laughed, pinching Piper's cheeks playfully. Piper glared at her as Prue made to go to work.

"Wait, Prue. Do you want me to go with you? I could help investigate," Paige suggested, stopping Prue in her tracks.

"Don't you have to meet that family?" Piper reminded her with narrowed eyes.

Paige frowned but shrugged. "I could reschedule. I mean, how can I help someone else's family if I can't help my own?" she countered.

Prue shook her head. "No way. You've worked way too hard for Mr. Cowan to trust you so you go show him what you can do. I'll handle this," Prue promised, pointing toward the front door for Paige to get a move on.

"Fine, but only if you promise to call if you need anything or find anything out. I want to be kept in the loop. Oh, and watch out for Rex. I still don't like him," Paige offered as a compromise.

Prue thought it over for a moment before nodding in agreement. "Sure. And good luck, Missy Paige," she laughed, heading up the stairs to change before heading to work.

"You too…" Piper whispered though she hadn't been the one it was addressed to. With a half-smile to Paige, Piper followed Prue up the steps to change.

~PO4~

Leo walked into the attic carrying his toolbox which he placed on a table just inside the door. He carefully closed the door behind him and waved his hand over the chests that were against the walls of the attic. They all opened and he walked forward to look inside them. Leo turned away after a moment and waved his hand again. All the chests closed and he turned his attention to an old dresser. Another wave of his hand and the top drawer opened. His eyes narrowed slightly as he saw the tiara. Footsteps echoed through the house and he hastily waved his head, shutting the drawer just before Piper came in.

Piper halted, appearing surprised at Leo's presence in the attic. "Leo, what are you doing? I thought you were going to fix the sink," Piper responded in confusion. She smiled slightly, but she was a little suspicious.

"Yeah, I was, I-I mean, I am. I just, uh, needed to fix a light downstairs and I was hoping there'd be some old fixtures up here that I could cannibalize," Leo explained calmly receiving a nod from Piper. "Listen, uh, there's something I need to tell you. Something I don't think you're gonna like. Uh, I might have to leave here soon. I might have to go back home."

"Is home far away?" Piper asked, guessing the answer. She inwardly sighed, thinking she should have seen something like this coming.

"Yeah, it's pretty far," Leo replied and then seeing the expression in her eyes hastily tried to help. "I mean, I don't know for sure yet, but, uh, you know, I wanted you to know, just in case."

Piper smiled and laughed softly. "Thanks," she whispered.

Leo watched her for a moment before deciding it best to get back to work. "Well, I, uh, better get back to work," he decided walking forward and kissing her lightly on the cheek before heading down the stairs.

Piper waited until she heard his footsteps on the stairs before turning around. She was about to head back down when her eyes caught sight of the top drawer of the dresser that was still open just slightly. Piper narrowed her eyes and pulled out the tiara, the suspicions that Phoebe had lit coming back.


	20. Wicca Envy (part 2)

Bucklands Auction House

Paige orbed into Rex's office, sighing audibly in relief when it became apparent that it was empty. She hadn't felt like anyone was here, but she couldn't explain why she thought that and therefore wasn't all that sure in herself. Her eyes flickered around his office trying to decide where best to start. Paige was certain there was something bad about Rex and she wasn't going to let Prue get hurt. Rex was going to have to go through her first. At first glance his office appeared just like any person's office so she decided to start with the desk. She pulled out folders and flipped through them. To her surprise, most of them were empty, though someone with his job should have papers everywhere. Paige was about to close the drawer of the desk when her eyes focused on one last folder, nearly hidden behind everything else. She dropped it on the desk and opened it. She bit her lip nervously at the contents. Pictures of them… Pictures of Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and herself alone as well as one of Prue and Piper, Prue and herself, Piper and Phoebe.

"Creepy," Paige whispered, closing the folder and replacing it where she had found it. No ordinary boss would keep pictures of all of them, but surely he wouldn't be stupid enough to keep anything too suspicious in case someone searched him. Paige narrowed her eyes and pulled open the filing cabinets along the walls. Nothing. They were empty. No records of auctions, no records of bills, no records of employees, not even a piece of paper. At this point it was pretty obvious he had another reason for being the boss of Bucklands. The pictures proved his interest in them so Paige was inclined to believe he was a warlock that wanted to get close to them. Paige immediately ran back to his desk and pulled up the  
employee database on his computer.

"Buckland, Rex," she breathed, typing it in and clicking 'search.' There was a moment in which it searched before 'No listing' popped up. Paige bit her lip and tried 'Webster, Hannah.' Another moment and 'No listing' showed up again.

"Maybe it's faulty," Paige decided, not willing to jump to conclusions. 'Halliwell, Prudence.' Paige typed. A moment of searching and Prue's resume and background information showed up on the screen. "This is no coincidence," Paige whispered, exiting out of the computer and shutting it off like it had been before. Her head snapped up at the sound of the door opening. She quickly orbed out. The last of the blue and white lights disappeared just before Hannah walked in.

~PO4~

Rex's Apartment

Phoebe glanced down at the paper that had Rex's address and apartment number written on it before ringing the doorbell at that location. As she placed the paper back in her purse and waited for Rex to answer the door, Rex astral projected next to her.

"You will see a spectacular apartment," he whispered in her ear. He astral projected back out and opened the door to his apartment. "Phoebe, I am so glad that you could make it," Rex greeted, stepping back and opening the door wider to allow her in. "Please," he invited.

Phoebe walked in and looked around at the beautifully arranged apartment. "Wow, this is…" she trailed off speechless.

"Spectacular?" Rex suggested.

"That is exactly the word I was going to use!" Phoebe exclaimed with a laugh.

"We must be on the same wavelength," Rex concluded cheerfully. They laughed for a moment before he continued. "Champagne?" he offered.

Phoebe smiled but shook her head politely. "Uh, no thank you," Phoebe declined, taking several steps toward the couch.

"No, I insist," Rex countered, moving over to the bar and pouring two glasses of champagne while Phoebe looked around the apartment curiously.

"Um, am I early?" Phoebe asked as there was no one else in the apartment yet.

Rex looked up from the glasses for a moment to glance at her. "No, you're right on time," he assured her.

"But I thought you said you were having a dinner party," Phoebe pointed out, pulling her jacket off and folding it over her arm.

"Yes, I am. With a very exclusive guest list. Just you and me," Rex explained as he took up the two glasses and joined Phoebe on the couch. "A toast. To your interview," he suggested, passing her one of the champagne glasses.

Phoebe took the glass from him, tilting her head curiously. "Interview?" she prompted.

"Yeah, at, um, Zeitgeist Magazine. They want to meet with you, perhaps, um, hire you for the fashion section. Interested?" Rex wondered.

Phoebe laughed softly. "Very," she allowed, nodding her head eagerly. She narrowed her eyes in playful suspicion. "What's the catch?"

Rex leaned forward slightly. "You have to sleep with me." Phoebe's eyes flashed and she sat her glass of champagne down on the table in front of her. She made to stand up before Rex cut in. "Phoebe, what sort of man do you think I am?" he soothed, throwing his hands up innocently to show he was joking. There was a moment of silence before

Phoebe laughed with him after deciding he was in fact joking. Rex looked down at his hand before glancing back at Phoebe. "Um, I hope you like sushi. Imported fresh from Kyoto. Please, just make yourself comfortable," Rex offered, leaving into an adjoining room. Phoebe watched him leave and reached for her purse where she pulled out her little mirror to touch up her make-up.

Rex astral projected next to her on the couch. "You're having a premonition of Prue at work," he began.

Phoebe jerked as she was pulled into a premonition, dropping her lipstick in surprise.

"She's in danger. You fear a warlock is after her. You must save her," Rex ordered.

Phoebe saw Prue run down the hallway of Bucklands with a panther chasing her. "Prue," Phoebe breathed, jumping to her feet as Astral Rex returned to his body and came back in the room. She glanced over at him apologetically, already taking steps toward the door. "Uh, hi. I, uh, I gotta go. I-I-I'm really sorry and I can't explain, but, uh, uh, I'll call you, okay? Sorry. Really sorry," she babbled, running out the door.

Rex feigned confusion until he heard the door close behind Phoebe. He smiled and snapped his fingers and the beautiful apartment was replaced with a dark and unused room. He calmly pulled out his cell phone and dialed a number. "911? I'm calling from Bucklands Auction House. I think something's trying to kill me. Please, hurry."

~PO4~

Phoebe ran down the hallway and common room of the apartment complex trying to reach the parking lot and her car when Paige suddenly orbed in front of her. Phoebe jumped backwards, her hand flying to her heart.

"Paige!" Phoebe hissed, looking around frantically to see if anyone was around to see.

Paige cut Phoebe off before she could begin scolding. "Phoebe, there you are. We're in big trouble. I think that…"

"Never mind. I know Prue's in trouble. Orb me to Bucklands," Phoebe ordered, cutting Paige's explanation off.

"But Re…" Paige began again.

Phoebe glared at her and grabbed her by the arm. "Later, Paige. Orb me now!" she snapped and Paige obediently orbed out with Phoebe.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue walked down the empty hallways to her office when the security guard Jaime came around behind her.

"Working late?" Jaime asked cheerfully causing Prue to jump in surprise. "Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you," he apologized while Prue laughed at herself.

"It's okay, uh, I guess I'm just a little jumpy lately," Prue admitted, placing her hand against her pounding heart in an attempt to calm it down.

Jaime nodded in understanding. "Can't blame you with everything that's been going on."

"Yeah, um, listen, Jaime, I was wondering. When the tiara was stolen, was anyone else still here? Like Hannah or-or-or Rex, maybe?" Prue questioned hopefully, crossing her arms across her chest.

"No, you were the last one out. Just like tonight. Hardest working woman I've ever met," Jaime replied with a smile. His smile faltered at her look of disappointment and worry that she couldn't quite hide. "For what it's worth, Prue, I know you didn't take it. I mean, of all people, there's no way."

Prue smiled a little. "Thanks," she whispered gratefully. Her eyes followed him until he had left to continue his rounds around the auction house. Prue turned back to her office, but was distracted by Hannah's open office door. "Hannah's computer," Prue murmured thoughtfully, making her way inside. Prue sat in the rolling chair and spun around to face the computer where the employee search engine was open. Thinking along the same lines as Paige before her she typed in 'Webster, Hannah.' She received the same 'no listing' before typing in 'Buckland, Rex' and got the same result. She bit her lip and started to type something else in when Rex astral projected behind her.

"Someone's after you. Behind you," Rex whispered into her ear. Prue jumped and glanced nervously behind her. "You fear it's a warlock with powers greater than yours," he continued.

Prue pushed away from Hannah's desk and ran out of the office

~PO4~

In the warehouse, Jaime continued his rounds looking for anything out of the ordinary, his flashlight leading the way.

~PO4~

Prue ran to the elevator and began furiously pressing the 'down' button when Astral Rex appeared next to her.

"You hear a scream. An innocent to protect in the warehouse," Astral Rex continued his plan.

Prue glanced back toward the stairs that led to the warehouse. "Jaime," she whispered, taking off toward the warehouse.

"You're to grab the artifact just inside the door," Astral Rex called after her as she disappeared down the steps.

~PO4~

Jaime turned around upon hearing the sudden footsteps running down the stairs. Hannah came up behind him and hit him over the head with an artifact. Jaime dropped to the ground and Hannah casually threw a security tape down next to him. Hannah then dropped the artifact to the ground where she was sure Prue would see it before walking away.

Prue ran through the dark warehouse, halting upon seeing the artifact on the floor. She bent down to pick it up and caught sight of Jaime on the ground. "Jaime. Jaime," she breathed, dropping to her knees beside him.

Phoebe and Paige orbed into the warehouse just beside Prue. "Prue!" Phoebe exclaimed, running forward. Paige's mouth dropped at the sight of Jaime's body. Phoebe and Paige both dropped down next to Prue, feeling for a pulse.

"Phoebe, Paige…" Prue whispered, leaning into her little sisters.

"Thank god you're alright," Phoebe replied, pulling Prue into a hug.

Paige glanced back to Jaime's body. "He's dead…"

~PO4~

The police had arrived and were investigating the cause of Jaime's death while Prue, Phoebe, and Paige were huddled together not far from the body. Everyone looked up as Morris came back next to them.

"Tape found by the body? Security. Showing Prue exiting the vault, putting the missing tiara in her briefcase," Darryl announced.

Phoebe and Paiges' mouths dropped in surprise while Prue's eyes widened. "What? That can't be!" she argued, stunned.

"Yeah, Prue's not stupid enough to think she could get away with something like that!" Paige added, earning glances from Prue and Phoebe.

"I just saw it for myself," Darryl countered.

Prue turned away from Darryl and Andy back to her sisters. "Somebody must have manipulated me into taking it," she concluded, grabbing Phoebe's hands nervously.

Phoebe was nodding in agreement. "The same way someone manipulated me into being a witness against my own sister," Phoebe agreed.

Paige ran around to Prue's other side and with a glance toward Darryl and Andy leaned close so that they couldn't hear her. "Rex isn't who he says he is. I'm sure it's him," she breathed while Phoebe tried to hear what she was saying, but couldn't from where she stood.

"Any idea what they're talking about?" Darryl asked, turning to Andy.

"Not a clue," Andy replied with a slight shake of his head. He took out his police notebook and began writing down important information and facts that had been confirmed.

Prue nodded slightly to Paige and turned to Phoebe. "Phoebe, you were with Rex tonight, weren't you?

"Yeah, Prue, but I don't think this is the time or the place to get into that," Phoebe pointed out with a hint of irritation.

"No, I just meant that don't you find it a little coincidental that right when you two start dating, all of this is going on?" Prue elaborated as gently as could in her desperation.

Phoebe shook her head defiantly. "No, I do not," Phoebe answered with a roll of her eyes. "Besides, I thought that you thought that Hannah was behind all of this," she continued loud enough that Andy looked up to listen curiously.

"Phoebe, Rex isn't who he says he is. That's what I was coming to tell you when I picked you up earlier," Paige cut in before Prue could say anything else.

Phoebe turned on Paige looking confused. "Huh? Why didn't you say something then?" she demanded.

Paige threw her hands up dramatically. "You didn't let me," Paige snapped in return.

Phoebe opened her mouth to throw back a retort when Darryl broke off the argument. "Excuse me, ladies. Do you mind if we ask a few questions?" he asked sounding a little exasperated.

"I already told you what happened, okay? I-I-I was working late, I heard a noise, I came down and found Jaime," Prue explained again, bordering on hysteria by this point.

"You didn't know he had the tape?" Andy questioned pointing toward Jaime's body.

Prue glanced over at Andy. "No, of course not."

"And why exactly did you pick up the murder weapon again?" Andy continued.

"You think she killed him? Is that it, Andy?" Phoebe snapped, her patience running out. Not to mention she felt a hint of betrayal by Andy.

Prue turned away to glance at Phoebe. "Phoebe," she breathed, gently telling her sister not to go there.

"No," Phoebe argued. "I want to know how far he's gonna go with this and none of this has anything to do with the fact that she dumped you, does it?"

"Stop it," Prue pleaded softly.

Paige bit her lip and stomped on Phoebe's foot. "That's not helping," she whispered, linking her arm through Phoebe's arm, but holding tightly onto Prue's hand.

Andy narrowed his eyes in irritation. "Look, we got Prue standing over the dead body of the very security guard who last saw her with the tiara," he began.

"With the missing security tape showing her taking it," Darryl continued.

"And holding the murder weapon which you were there to witness. What are we supposed to think?" Andy demanded, staring at Phoebe in particular.

"That I'm guilty as hell," Prue muttered, tears forming in her eyes.

Phoebe dropped her head in her hand while Paige stepped forward a little nervously. "She didn't do it," Paige insisted, close to tears.

"Then who did? Did you see anybody run past you on the way here?" Darryl challenged.

"No," Phoebe replied shortly.

"But there's another door. They could have run out that one…" Paige pointed out only half-hopefully. Nothing she said was going to change their mind.

Andy sighed softly. "I'm sorry, Prue. Brian," he called over another cop who pulled out his handcuffs. "You're under arrest for suspicion of murder."

The cop named Brian closed one of the handcuffs around Prue's wrist and she couldn't stop as her tears fought through her self-control.

Paige refused to let go of Prue's other arm that she was clutching onto. "They can't take you, Prue. I won't let them. We need you," she cried, falling into Prue's one-armed hug.

"You have to let them," Prue whispered, fighting back her tears for just a moment more.

"I don't know what to do," Paige choked out, burying her face in her eldest sister's shoulder.

Prue lightly kissed Paige on the top of her head. "You're going to go home with Phoebe, find Piper, and tell them everything you found out earlier," Prue ordered softly. Her eyes flickered to look over at Phoebe who was silently standing a bit farther away.

Phoebe nodded slightly, reading Prue's silent command, and stepped forward, taking Paige from Prue.

Brian pulled Prue's other arm back, handcuffing it and leading her away from her sisters and toward the car.

Phoebe and Paige watched as Prue left and continued staring at where their sister had disappeared long after she must have been taken to the station. Paige saw Andy leaving and with narrowed-eyed determination pulled out of Phoebe's tight grasp and ran after him. Phoebe, in her stunned silence, stared after her in surprise.

Paige ran until she had caught up to Andy, who had turned around upon hearing the hurried footsteps. He looked surprised to see Paige having figured she wouldn't be too happy with him at this moment. Paige sighed, recognizing some of the emotions in his eyes: Regret, pain, denial, hurt, but mostly confusion. "Andy, Prue didn't do it and I think I know who did. I think they're framing her," Paige began hastily. She didn't want Phoebe to catch her and certainly didn't want Darryl catching Andy. It would give him an even harder time.

"Paige…" Andy started to tell her to leave it be but Paige refused.

"No, listen to me, Rex Buckland and Hannah Webster. They're not who everyone thinks they are… I can't tell you how I know, but… just check on it. You're the only one that can," Paige continued.

Andy looked away for a moment, uncertain about how to handle the information. He was inclined to believe that Paige was just saying things to save her sister, but he couldn't quite convince himself of that. "Paige…" he tried again.

Paige once again cut him off. "Please!" she pleaded in desperation.

"Trudeau!" Darryl's voice carried over from their patrol car. "You coming?"

Paige looked relieved that he didn't seem to see her in the dark and looked toward Andy with pleading eyes.

"I'm not promising anything, but I'll try," Andy replied, giving in and turning away from his 'youngest sister.'

"Rex Buckland and Hannah Webster," Paige called softly after him. She didn't know if he could still hear her and he didn't acknowledge having heard her. With a soft sight Paige turned to head back inside Bucklands and back to Phoebe. They needed to get to Piper so they could come up with a plan. There was no way in hell she was going to leave Prue in jail.

~PO4~

Rex's Apartment

"We should hire a lawyer," Piper insisted as she followed Phoebe to Rex's apartment.

Paige was reluctantly following behind, her arms crossed and looking none-too-pleased at being here. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to convince Phoebe about Rex. Phoebe was way too stubborn for her own good. "I agree. We should not fill Rex in and go find a lawyer," she threw in immediately.

"With what money?" Phoebe countered, tossing a glare back at Paige.

Piper glanced at Paige sympathetically before stopping just outside the door to the apartment. "I don't know but we can't let her sit in jail all night," she retorted.

Phoebe nodded in agreement as she pushed the doorbell. "That's why we're here. To get Rex's help," Phoebe replied.

"Why won't you just consider what I found?" Paige muttered indignantly.

"You found nothing. Absolutely nothing," Phoebe argued, spinning to face Paige.

Paige nodded. "Yeah, don't you find that even remotely suspicious? And I did find those pictures, but perhaps I'm the only one who finds that creepy," Paige snapped crossing her arms defensively.

Piper rolled her eyes and stepped between her two youngest sisters. "Shh… That is not helping," Piper hissed, putting one hand on each of her sisters.

Phoebe turned around and irritably knocked on the door. When there was no answer she reached for the door handle.

"What are you doing?" Piper asked nervously.

Phoebe didn't answer and pushed the door open upon finding it unlocked. She stepped into the dark, empty room, nothing even moderately the same as it had been when Phoebe was there earlier.

Piper and Paige walked in after her, exchanging a confused glance.

"This is so weird," Phoebe murmured, walking farther into the apartment and looking around.

"Are you sure this is the right place?' Piper questioned doubtfully.

Phoebe bent down and picked up her lipstick off the floor where she had dropped it when she'd had the premonition. "This is my lipstick, I'm positive. He couldn't have moved out that fast. It must have been an illusion, all of it. Even my premonition," Phoebe decided her voice echoing her frustration.

"How is that possible?" Piper demanded.

Phoebe shrugged. "Mind control, astral projection, throwing charms, who knows," she listed uncertainly.

"I'm so sorry, Phoebe," Paige apologized, her eyes flickering over the empty room and their previous argument forgotten.

"What are you sorry about? You and Prue were right about Rex," Phoebe reminded her with a sigh.

"Yeah, but I wasn't very nice about it… I didn't really explain it well," Paige explained softly.

Phoebe smiled. "It's okay," she whispered, walking forward and giving Paige a quick hug. Phoebe looked around the room one last time before motioning for her sisters to follow her. "Damn, I'm dating a warlock," she muttered, loud enough for her sisters to hear.

"Been there, done that," Piper pointed out in an attempt to lighten the mood slightly. Paige laughed softly, linking arms with Piper and following Phoebe out.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Prue was pacing back and forth in her cell, trying to focus enough to follow what was going on through Piper. Unfortunately, she kept getting distracted by irritating thoughts and emotions… and the guy in the next cell. He kept making kissing noises through the bars of her cell. Losing her temper, Prue narrowed her eyes and he was knocked back into his opposite cell wall by her power. He yelled and landed roughly on his bed where he stared at her in fear and surprise, grabbing an old pillow for comfort. Prue closed her eyes and again tried to focus on Piper's thoughts.

~PO4~

Andy leaned again the wall next to his desk, staring out the window to watch the traffic drive by. He still wasn't sure how far he was going to go with Paige's suggestion. As much as he tried to make himself believe, he couldn't accept the fact that Prue was responsible for this. Sure the evidence was sound, but the little things just didn't fit. She had seemed thoroughly surprised when Darryl said he'd seen the tape of her taking the tiara. Prue had to have seen the security camera tape so if she had been guilty why did she just leave it… why did she stay at all? Why did she pick up the murder weapon? It just wasn't smart… and Prue had always been smart. She had time to cover everything up and yet she  
hadn't. Then there were her sisters. Everything was completely uncharacteristic… for all of them. Andy was so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear Darryl come up behind him until Darryl spoke.

"Hey," Darryl called, lightly shaking Andy out of his reverie.

"Hey," Andy repeated with only a quick glance over his shoulder.

"You wanna talk?" Darryl asked.

Andy's eyes flickered to his computer where he was checking every employee from Bucklands for anything unusual. Rex and Hannah in particular. "I'm just running background checks on all the other employees at the auction house," he replied with a shrug.

Darryl shook his head slightly at his partner's avoidance. "That's not what I meant, Andy."

"Andy?" Andy quoted in surprise. "Did you just call me by my first name? I wasn't even sure you knew it."

"I heard Prue say it," Darryl joked.

Andy laughed for a moment before he remembered her situation. "She didn't do it, Morris," Andy insisted. He was positive, now he just had to prove it.

"You keep saying that," Darryl pointed out mildly.

Andy dropped into his chair behind his computer. "It's too pat, too easy. The evidence just keeps falling in our laps."

Darryl took the seat next to Andy's desk and leaned slightly forward to Andy. "Maybe her sister was right. Maybe your personal feelings are getting in the way," he tried, being careful with the wording. He didn't want to tick Andy off.

"We've had that conversation okay," Andy ended that topic quickly.

"Okay, but you have to admit. You stopped seeing Prue for a reason. You thought she was hiding something from you. How do you know she wasn't hiding something like this?" Darryl challenged.

Andy leaned a little forward, thinking it over seriously. "A secret life of crime? I don't think so," he argued lightly.

"You got a better explanation?" Darryl asked, receiving only silence from Andy.

Andy leaned back into his chair with a sigh. The sisters had all been connected to weird happenings. Mysteries… More than a few tied to occult-like people. There was the sisters outside the photographer Stefan's building. Disappeared and the women mysteriously showing back up. Then he remembered looking on Prue's computer about the knife at the Spencer Estate crime. Something about being used to kill a demon Hecate, who must be married in a sanctified way. Ironically, the wedding was interrupted and the false bride had disappeared along with her bridesmaids. Again they were there. They even had the knife with them. Not a week later he remembered the strange girl that had hung around  
the Manor after having found their cat. Andy remembered holding the popcorn in his hand, the girl reaching toward it and then it suddenly beginning to pop. He hardly believed it a coincidence. Lastly, the most recent event with the Halliwell sisters being involved with the guy that fell out of Prue's office window. He had been trying to kill Halliwells and Andy was certain he had been looking for the sisters. After all, he started with Prue and Paige and he had disappeared too. Not to even mention Prue randomly cutting dates short, being extremely late and distracted, or sometimes not even being able to show up at all… In fact, it wouldn't surprise him in the least if this case wasn't everything that it seemed. There was more to it and Andy was missing it. Perhaps Paige had tried to point him toward it by telling him about Rex and Hannah. She had said 'she couldn't explain.'

Darryl had stood up and was watching Andy thoughtfully. "Do you want to book her in a county jail?" he finally asked.

"No, let's just keep her here for as long as we can. At least until the arraignment," Andy replied, before turning back to his computer and his thoughts.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper ran down the stairs, clutching the tiara tightly in her hands. Phoebe and Paige were waiting for her at the bottom trying to figure out what she thought she was doing.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Phoebe asked as Piper stopped in front of them.

Piper held up the tiara so that her little sisters could see it. "Getting rid of the evidence. They can't bust Prue for murder if they don't have a motive," she replied knowingly. All they had to do was find a way to get rid of the tiara.

"Mouth," Phoebe hissed.

"Leo's in the kitchen," Paige elaborated when Piper looked confused.

"Oh, he is? Really?" Piper responded with a grin and a hopeful look in the direction of the kitchen.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Focus!" she ordered the same time Paige scolded with "Piper!" Phoebe put her arm around Piper's shoulders and pulled her in the other direction. "Listen, the last thing we need to worry about is the legal system. We're up against a warlock now," she continued.

"Two if Prue and Paige are right about Hannah," Piper agreed.

"Which we are," Paige cut in with an apologetic half-smile when Phoebe cast a glare back at Paige.

Phoebe gave a slight nod of agreement to Paige's comment even if she found it irritating. "Exactly, which means we have to figure out what they want. It can't just be to frame Prue."

"Unless in doing so, somehow they think they can get our powers, which is what warlocks want," Piper pointed out following Phoebe's train of thought.

"Which means they've divided us up so that we no longer have the Power of Four to stop them," Paige finished with a roll of her eyes. "Smart warlocks," she allowed.

"What are we gonna do?" Piper asked, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.

Phoebe was silent a moment as she thought up a plan. "We have no choice," she decided, grabbing the tiara from Piper and hiding it in the top of the nearby closet.

Paige frowned thoughtfully. "Wait, you don't mean…?" she trailed off as she shivered suddenly and glanced around the room quickly with narrowed eyes.

Astral Rex watched her warily from where he sat on the couch, but by now the damage had already been done.

"That is exactly what I mean," Phoebe replied, reading Paige's mind in a sisterly way.

Piper was staring at Paige curiously. "You okay?"

Paige nodded slightly and glanced back to Phoebe, who was now coming back toward them. "Yeah, just a cold shiver."

"Alright. Let's go," Phoebe called, grabbing onto Piper and Paige and pulling them toward the door.

"Go? Go where? Phoebe?" Piper demanded nervously, glancing at Paige for an explanation.

Phoebe smiled reassuringly at her elder sister. "Piper, it's gonna be alright," she promised.

"It's the only way," Paige added, wrapping her arm around Piper comfortingly.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

The three younger Halliwell sisters held hands, pulling a reluctant Piper along between Phoebe and Paige.

"This is crazy," Piper hissed as her little sisters pulled her toward the cells. She glanced nervously around at the guards that passed them.

"We have to get Prue out before Rex makes his move on us," Phoebe argued softly.

Paige nodded, looking determined. "It'll be really easy and it's fool proof," Paige continued, siding with Phoebe on this situation.

"But we can't break her out!" Piper insisted, trying to pull away from her sisters' grasp.

Phoebe and Paige both tightened their grip on Piper and pulled her back forward. "Yes we can. We're witches. All you have to do is unfreeze the guards and then unlock Prue's cell," Phoebe explained.

"Me? What about you two?" Piper demanded, casting glares at her little sisters.

"Somebody's got to stay out here in case something goes wrong," Phoebe replied, placing her hand on the door.

"If something does go wrong then Phoebe and I can orb out and find a way to get both of you out of jail," Paige added enthusiastically. If the situation hadn't been so serious she probably would have laughed at Piper's reaction to that. 

"Now, Phoebe. Hurry before the patrol guy comes back around," she ordered.

Phoebe grinned and nodded. "Ready? On three."

"No, Phoebe," Piper snapped.

"Three," Phoebe decided, pulling the door open and revealing a security guard.

Piper threw her hands up instinctively, freezing the guard as he turned to glance toward them. She glanced toward Phoebe and Paige with wide eyes.

Paige rolled her eyes and pushed Piper into the building while Phoebe closed the door behind her. "Totally cool power. I hate you," Phoebe ranted, crossing her arms.

~PO4~

Silently cursing at her luck and her little sisters, Piper walked through the hallway. She stopped at the first gate and reached through the bars to take the keys from the frozen guard.

Prue stared at her for several moments in surprise. "I can't believe you're doing this," Prue exclaimed with a slight shake of her head.

Piper didn't answer and picked the correct key, unlocking the gate in front of her.

"Are you out of your mind?" Prue asked sarcastically as Piper stopped outside her cell and searched for the correct key to unlock it.

"Just so we're clear, this was Phoebe and Paige's idea," Piper responded, finally unlocking Prue's cell and opening the door to let her out.

Prue frowned in confusion. "What?"

"We think Rex is a warlock and he's after our powers. Phoebe's outside waiting for you to rub her nose in it," Piper explained and motioned for Prue to follow.

Prue hesitated, not liking the plan at all.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Well, come on, Prue. Before they unfreeze," Piper ordered, trying to hurry her older sister along.

Prue still didn't move. "Piper, this isn't right."

"Well, neither is the gas chamber. Look, if we're lucky, we'll vanquish them and still get you back by morning rounds," Piper countered, glancing nervously back at the frozen guards.

Prue sighed and spun around back to her bed. She hurriedly stuffed her pillows under the sheets to make it look like she was there sleeping.

Piper stared at her in disbelief. "That's pretty lame," she pointed out irritably.

"Well, you got a better idea?" Prue snapped, fixing it up as best she could.

"No," Piper admitted shortly.

Prue let it be and dashed out of her cell. "Let's go," she called, stopping only long enough for Piper to lock her cell back up. As they passed the guard, Prue reached up toward him.

"Don't touch him. Don't touch him. Don't," Piper hissed as Prue took the guard's donut.

"Come on!" Prue ordered, running out the door to find Phoebe and Paige waiting for them against the wall.

The four sisters joined hands as Phoebe led the way out back toward the car. They pulled to a stop as a camera flashed and Rex stepped out from behind a car. "Quite photogenic. Now I should think the police will find this very interesting, to say the least," Rex commented triumphantly as he reached into his car to set the camera down and grab the powercatching lantern.

"Rex," Prue whispered, tightening her hold on Piper and Paige on either side of her.

Phoebe looked him over in confusion. "Wait, how did you know that we…"

"What, that you'd be here? Well, let's just say that I've been watching your every move. Without you knowing it, of course," Rex answered with a curious glance toward Paige.

"Except for maybe her. You really should be more confident in that power, darling," he continued, focusing on Paige.

Prue glared and pushed Paige behind her, breaking Rex's contact with her baby sister. "You bastard," Prue cursed.

Rex laughed softly and took several steps toward the sisters. "Don't get too angry, Prue. You wouldn't want to injure me with your power," he warned, approaching until he was right in front of Prue. "I'm the only chance you have," Rex whispered, directly to Prue before taking a single step back and addressing all of them. "You see, while you were here conducting your little prison break, Hannah was retrieving the tiara from your home. You should have gotten rid of it when you had the chance. Personally, I actually thought that was an excellent idea."

"Astral projection," Phoebe breathed to her sisters.

"What do you want?" Prue demanded.

"Your powers, of course. That's why I hired you in the first place, you know, to see if you really were the Charmed Ones. Then I waited to test your strength, to see how best to make my move and here we are," Rex explained.

Paige sighed audibly. "Should have seen that one coming," she muttered with a frown.

"But why all the drama? Why didn't you just kill us and take our powers?" Phoebe questioned curiously.

"Don't give him any ideas!" Piper hissed while Paige lightly slapped Phoebe on the arm and Prue gave her a warning glance.

Rex shook his head with a half-smile. "No, no, no. I have seen exactly what you can do when confronted directly. That's why I opted for blackmail. See, there is this special spell in the Book of Shadows that strips you of your powers forever," he began, pulling out the power-catching lantern so they could see it. "And this device will capture those powers. Then you'll bring them to me," Rex ordered, passing it to Prue.

"Go to hell," Prue retorted, not moving to take the lantern.

"Yeah, I'd love to, darling. I miss it terribly. And this will help me return with honors. In return, I'll give you the photo and tell the police that I simply misplaced the tiara. No theft, no motive for murder, no prison," Rex offered triumphantly. 

"You really don't have much time. Only until the prison guards realize you've escaped. Well?" He held the lantern back out toward Prue.

Reluctantly, Prue reached forward and grabbed the lantern.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

The sisters were all scattered around the Conservatory of the Manor. Piper was on the couch with the Book of Shadows open in front of her to the page 'The Relinquishment Spell.' Prue was pacing in a large circle. Phoebe was standing next to Piper and Paige was sprawled across the armchair.

"It's a relinquishment spell. If we read it aloud, it takes away all of our powers," Piper explained, glancing up from the book to look at Phoebe, who was closest.

"Is there any way to reverse it?" Phoebe asked shortly.

Piper looked back down at the book. "I don't know, it doesn't say," she replied, reading over the page again for an answer.

"Well, then I say we flip to another page and find a spell that kicks Rex's warlock ass," Phoebe suggested enthusiastically.

Prue quickly shook her head. "We can't," Prue responded.

Phoebe turned to Prue with a look of confusion. "Why can't we?" she demanded.

"Because for all we know he's here, right now, watching us. And if we don't do exactly what he says, he'll tell the police I've escaped," Prue argued, playing with her hands for no other reason than to keep them busy.

Paige glanced around pointedly. "I don't think he's here," Paige offered and Phoebe brightened a little.

"But we don't know that… you're not sure," Prue pointed out mildly and Paige reluctantly nodded, dropping her head in her hands.

"I don't think we should risk it. Not in this situation," Piper agreed with a sigh.

"But we can't give up our powers without a fight. It's like giving up who we are, who we've become," Phoebe retorted, crossing her arms defiantly.

Paige flipped around and stood up, coming to stand next to Phoebe. "Who we've come from."

Phoebe nodded and cast Paige a grateful glance. "Exactly. These powers are gifts. Gifts that were given to us to protect and ultimately to pass on to the next generation," she continued desperately.

Prue ran a hand through her hair in frustration as she took several steps forward. "Don't you think I know that? I mean, how do you think I feel, Phoebe? I'm the one who got us into this situation."

"Prue, it's not your fault," Piper immediately replied, hoping to stop her eldest sister from blaming herself for a situation that was beyond her control.

"It's not," Phoebe agreed sympathetically.

"Yeah, but I'm the one that Rex tricked," Prue pointed out. "I'm the reason why we're having this conversation."

Paige crossed her arms across her chest. "No, he tricked all of us. I mean, Phoebe was dating him, Piper and I didn't suspect anything. You were just unlucky enough to be the one that worked with him," she argued.

"You weren't tricked," Prue countered stubbornly.

"Yeah I was. I saw him the day you cast the truth spell and the day the locket turned up on your desk and I didn't suspect anything. He even placed the locket on your desk with full intentions of you opening it and I didn't think anything of it," Paige retorted lightly.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Okay, enough of that. We have got to find a way out of this," Phoebe reminded them.

"What way? Become fugitives? Something tells me that's not the best way to go about protecting the innocent," Piper snapped.

Phoebe shrugged and looked away from Piper. "Yeah, well, we can't protect the innocent without our powers. And, even worse, if we give them up, we'd be giving them up to evil."

"No, we can't let that happen," Prue decided immediately.

Piper slowly stood up from where she sat on the couch. "Well, we can't let you die in jail, either. Besides, with you behind bars, we'll be divided. Rex wins either way."

Paige nodded in agreement. "Our powers would be practically useless without you," Paige admitted softly.

Phoebe sighed in defeat. "I don't want to have to do this," she whispered.

"Neither do I, but we don't have a choice. All we can do is take a leap of faith and hope that somehow it all works out," Piper replied gently.

Outside the door, Leo stood listening to the sisters' conversation.

~PO4~

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige sat in a circle in the attic with the Book of Shadows opened to 'the Relinquishment Spell.' The sisters reluctantly joined hands and Prue began the spell.

"From whence they came, return them now, vanish the words, vanish our powers."

Piper was the next to speak. "From whence they came, return them now, vanish the words, vanish our powers."

With a glance toward Phoebe, Paige agreed to go next. "From whence they came, return them now, vanish the words, vanish our powers."

All eyes looked to Phoebe, who was staring at the book defiantly as if it was the book's fault they had to do this.

"Come on, Phoebe," Piper prompted.

"Okay," Phoebe sighed loudly. "From whence they came, return them now, vanish the words, vanish our powers."

White orbs filled the room as a heavy wind picked up. The pages in the Book of Shadows began to flip and the words disappeared. Four small white balls of light flowed into the lantern that was sitting on the edge of the table and the wind subsided.

"Look," Phoebe whispered, flipping through the pages of the Book of Shadows. Every page was empty of words.

Piper dropped her head into her hands, Paige wrapped her arms around herself, and Prue looked away unable to look at the book which had meant so much to them in the last few months.

"Well, it was fun while it lasted," Phoebe offered.

"Yep," Piper agreed softly.

Paige glanced away from the book, back to Prue. "If we're going to do this, we need to hurry."

Prue nodded and grabbed the lantern. "Let's get this over with."

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Rex and Hannah waited in Rex's office for the four sisters to bring their powers. Rex was seated on his couch while Hannah stood in front of him, looking excited.

"They're coming," Rex announced and Hannah's face split into a wide grin.

"Good," she breathed, dropping to the floor onto her hands and knees. As she hit the floor, Hannah shape shifted into a panther. Hannah growled and moved a few steps forward.

"I love you too, darling," Rex replied, his eyes following Hannah.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

The police station was empty of all officers except Andy and the only light came from his computer. He hesitantly typed in 'Webster, Hannah' on his database search. He took a sip of coffee as he waited for the search to finish. The page finally came up and on it there was a picture of an African American woman.

"Why, Hannah, you've changed," Andy commented, quickly reading over the information of the real Hannah's death. An unsolved homicide. "Dead 8/20/98," he read aloud. He typed in Rex Buckland and eagerly awaited the search. The picture that showed up was of an older, balding man, his death also an unsolved homicide. "Died 8/20/98." Andy smiled triumphantly and reached for the phone. He dialed a number and waited for his partner to pick up. "Mr. Morris, Trudeau. Get your butt over here. I think I figured out who framed Prue." He hung up a moment later and made a mental note to thank Paige and to listen to her sooner next time.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige trailed out of the elevator onto the twelfth floor, Prue clutching the lantern.

"Okay, I say as soon as we get the photo and the tiara back, we knock the lantern out of Rex's hands and stomp on it," Phoebe suggested in desperation as she led the way to

~PO4~

Rex's office.

"What will that do?" Prue asked unconvinced of anything helpful happening.

Phoebe just shrugged. "I don't know. Free our powers?"

"Can you say long shot?" Paige inquired sarcastically.

"Well, it's better than doing nothing," Phoebe countered, her patience running thin with this situation.

Piper bit her lip and grabbed Prue by the arm, halting the sisters' progression forward. "How do we know this isn't just a trap?"

Rex stepped out from his office and slowly advanced toward them. "You don't actually, but nevertheless here you are. Powerless, I presume," he replied to Piper's question though it hadn't been directed to him.

"Where's Hannah?" Prue demanded, her eyes not leaving Rex though Paige glanced around nervously for the missing warlock.

"Lurking. That's what she does best," Rex answered. "Now, the lantern if you please," he prompted, holding his hand out and taking it from Prue's grasp. He sighed in triumph. At long last he had their powers. Rex's eyes flickered over the Halliwell sisters. "It feels a little anticlimactic, don't you think? Too easy, almost. It feels as if we need a more satisfying ending." Rex slowly walked around behind the sisters, the cue for Hannah to come out. The panther, Hannah's current form, padded out of Rex's office and headed for Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige.

"Oh, oh," Phoebe breathed as the sisters huddled even more together, their grips tightening on each other's arms.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Leo threw open the door to the attic, dropping his toolbox next to the door and hastily walking to where the Book of Shadows sat on the table. He held his hands out over the empty pages and his hands began to glow. The golden light spread over the book and words began to reappear on the pages.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Rex looked down at the lantern his hands as the little white balls of light began to glow and leave the lantern. "No," he whispered as they moved back toward their respective witch. "Hannah, now. Quickly," Rex ordered as the sisters hadn't noticed the return of their powers. The panther ran forward and leaped at them. Paige instinctively orbed out, taking her sisters with her because they were all clutching each other. Hannah flew through the orbs  
and stumbled in surprise. She turned back toward them as the sisters reappeared in the same spot. Hannah leaped at them again and this time Piper threw her hands out, freezing the panther mid-leap and Rex, holding the lantern.

The sisters were frozen in shock for several moments. "Alright, does somebody want to explain to me what just happened?" Paige asked between deep breaths.

"Wait? We have our powers back?" Phoebe demanded just as confused as Paige.

"How?" Piper wondered, staring at her hands in shock.

Prue glanced between Rex and Hannah curiously. "Uh, doesn't matter. Get outta here. Fast," Prue ordered, pushing her sisters out of the way of Hannah's leap. They stopped behind Rex and Prue focused on Rex. He disappeared and reappeared in front of Hannah just as the freeze wore off. 

Hannah landed on Rex and thinking he was one of the Charmed Ones, fought through his struggles until she broke his neck. She pulled back upon recognizing Rex and shape  
shifted back into her human form. "Rex, no," she whispered appearing horrified as she stepped away from his body. Her eyes flashed in anger and she glared at the Halliwell sisters. "What have you done?" she screamed just as fire and smoke began to surround both Rex's body and Hannah. Hannah looked around, terrified. "Wait, it wasn't my fault. I didn't fail. He did. No, please, no!" she pleaded as they disappeared in the flames.

All four sisters stared at the spot where Rex and Hannah had been in shock and horror. "What the hell was that?" Piper was the first to recover enough to ask the question they were all thinking.

"I think you just answered your own question," Phoebe offered, biting her lip slightly.

"That was close… way too close," Paige whispered, not loosening her hold on Prue and Phoebe.

Prue took several deep calming breaths and glanced down at the watch on her wrist. "Okay, we have to get me back to jail now. Let's go," she decided and the Halliwell sisters moved as one back to the elevator where Prue furiously pressed the 'down' button. All the while they kept shooting glances to where Rex and Hannah had been just moments before.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

"We're here to see Prue Halliwell," Andy explained to the guard on duty with Darryl right behind him. "Thanks, Eric," he added as the guard opened up the gate, allowing Andy and Darryl through. Eric followed and opened up Prue's cell before returning to his position. Andy and Darryl walked into her cell and stopped next to her bed where the sheets were pulled up over her. "Prue?" Andy called softly but received no response. With a glance at Darryl, Andy pulled the sheet back to find Prue curled up asleep under the blankets. 

Prue woke up due to the unexpected light hitting her face. She looked up at both of the officers in confusion as she pushed herself up to a sitting position. "Andy? What is it? What's going on?" Prue asked curiously.

Andy smiled slightly. "Just thought you'd like to know you're off the hook," he answered, rather cheerfully.

"Turns out you were right. Rex and Hannah were setting you up, or whoever they were," Darryl elaborated to Prue's feigned look of confusion.

Prue raised her eyebrows to further her look of confusion and slowly stood up from the bed. "I don't understand," she admitted.

"Well, we think they killed two people, assumed their identities, and took over the auction house. Then they bilked it dry and tried to cap it off with stealing the tiara," Andy answered as simply as he could.

"Which we found hidden in his office," Darryl added almost as an afterthought.

"Wow. Did you catch them?" Prue asked curiously.

Andy reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper and a photo. "Not yet, but I don't supposed you have any idea concerning either of these?" Andy wondered, watching Prue's reaction closely.

Prue took the paper from him first where there was a sentence written.

Check Rex's office.

Prue smiled upon recognizing Paige's handwriting. "No, who sent it?" she feigned ignorance.

Andy shrugged and took it back. He glanced toward Darryl a moment to find him having a conversation with the guard, Eric, about releasing Prue. Andy leaned forward so as not to be overheard. "It just sort of appeared on my desk," he explained and Prue tilted her head slightly and looked over Andy thoughtfully. She couldn't tell if Andy recognized Paige's handwriting or not so Prue turned her attention to the photo in his hand. It was the picture Rex took of Piper, Phoebe, and Paige breaking Prue out of jail.

"We found this in his office," Andy continued, flipping the photo around so she could see it better.

"It's quite photogenic," Prue offered with a smile.

"Isn't it?" Andy agreed, swearing he could see a familiar mischievous glint in Prue's ice blue eyes.

Prue didn't respond as Andy just smiled knowingly, taking her hand and pulling her out of the cell after him.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Spells, incantations, demon stuff. It's all here. Everything, just like before," Piper commented, flipping through the Book of Shadows. Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were all gathered around the little table where they had left the book the night before.

"Thank God," Phoebe exclaimed.

Paige nodded in agreement. "Amen," she added throwing her hand up pointedly.

Prue was still staring at the book in confusion. "But how? I mean, we certainly didn't reverse the spell," she pointed out mildly.

"Maybe we screwed it up," Phoebe suggested with a shrug and received three incredulous looks from her sisters. "What? It's not like it would be the first time," Phoebe countered.

"She's got a point there…" Paige agreed with a soft laugh.

Prue shook her head and reached out toward the book. "No, we didn't screw it up. Something or someone must have done it. It couldn't have happened on its own," she concluded.

"Why not? It's magic," Piper joked in hopes to lighten the mood. Phoebe and Paige giggled while Prue rolled her eyes good-naturedly at the comment. They all looked over at Leo upon hearing a light tap on the door of the attic.

"Knock, knock," Leo called, effectively grabbing their attention.

"Leo," Piper greeted cheerfully.

"Uh, the front door was open. I hope it's alright. I left my toolbox," Leo hurriedly jumped to explain himself.

Piper glanced over at the toolbox with a knowing look. "That's funny. I don't remember that being there last night," she commented, leaving her sisters to meet Leo just inside the door of the attic.

Leo smiled a little guiltily. "Yeah, well, you know what Freud always said about leaving things."

"That you secretly wanted to come back for it," Piper quoted.

"Guilty," Leo admitted.

"Oh, don't use that word," Prue muttered, running a hand through her hair and accidently gaining Leo's attention.

Phoebe bit her lip and hurried to cover up for Prue. "Uh, it's a long story," she offered.

"We're not here," Paige added, linking arms with Prue and pulling her toward the back of the attic. Phoebe followed closely behind them.

Piper turned her attention away from her sisters back toward Leo. "Leo, you're leaving, aren't you?" she guessed with a sigh.

"Yeah, afraid so," Leo replied gently.

"Do you really have to go?" Piper asked only half-hopefully.

Leo smiled and glanced toward where the Book of Shadows was sitting. "Well, I've fixed everything I came here to fix. But I'll be back. Promise," Leo explained, leaning forward and kissing her. "Nothing can keep me away from you too long." He took a step back and picked up his toolbox before reluctantly heading down the stairs.

Piper slowly turned away from him and took several steps back towards her sisters. "Well, at least he wasn't a warlock."

Phoebe looked from where Leo had left back to the book. "Hey, you don't suppose Leo…" she trailed off pointing at the book. She stopped as she saw Prue tearing out 'the Relinquishment Spell' page. "What are you doing?" Phoebe demanded with wide eyes.

"Just getting rid of the Relinquishment Spell. Now that we've got our powers back, I certainly don't want to risk losing them again," Prue replied, passing Piper a box of matches.

"I second that," Piper announced, opening up the box of matches and lighting one.

"Third," Phoebe agreed.

"Fourth!" Paige exclaimed, taking the match from Piper and lighting the edge of the page.

Prue smiled eagerly. "So witches forever?" Prue prompted.

"And damn proud of it!" Phoebe laughed as the page was engulfed in flames and Prue dropped it into the Wiccan bowl to burn out.

~PO4~

Leo waved his hand as he walked down the foyer, magically opening the door. As he reached the end of the foyer he orbed out, disappearing in the swirl of blue and white lights as the door closed.


	21. Feats of Clay (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone that has followed my story so far! I really enjoy reading the reviews and it makes me want to write more, which is awesome since I've never cared all that much for writing before.  
> And here is the second change of Charmed!

Feats of Clay

Cairo, Egypt

Three men stopped outside an Egyptian mansion early in the night. One of the men punched through a window of the door, reached in and unlocked it from the inside. "Told ya'. Piece of cake." He told his companions as he pushed the door open and stepped in.

"Let's just do this and get out of here." One of the other men decided, glancing over his shoulder nervously.

The first man rolled his eyes at his companion's nerves. "Relax, Clay. I told you, no one's home. The owner is dead."

The third man walked up to Clay and grabbed him by the shoulder, affectively gaining Clay's attention. "Stay here and keep watch. We'll get the urn." He ordered, pointing toward the doorway that they had just come through. Clay stayed behind and watched as the other two men walked into a nearby room. "Clay doesn't know, does he?" The third man questioned, once they were out of earshot.

"Why spook him? He'd probably believe it actually was the curse that killed the old man." The first man pointed out with a shrug. He turned around and continued his search for the urn.

"He was stung to death by a scorpion, Wesley. In the bathroom of an airplane." The third man reminded Wesley as he, also, turned to look for the urn.

Wesley turned back to the other man in disbelief. "Don't tell me you believe in that crap."

"Do you think I'd be here if I did?" He retorted before his eyes caught sight of an urn upon a side table. "Is that it?" He asked curiously, nodding his head in the corresponding direction.

"That's it." Wesley announced, running up to the urn and picking it up off the table. As soon as he touched it the Egyptian picture on the side of the urn, away from the two men, began to glow. "You see any scorpions around, Palmer?" Wesley joked, looking around them pointedly.

"No, just dollar signs." Palmer laughed. "Let's go." He decided as Clay came running up to them. As they turned to leave the picture on the urn disappeared in a swirl of golden dust, unnoticed by the thieves.

"Hey, man, there's a car coming. You guys must've tripped an alarm." Clay warned.

The three men exchanged glances before Wesley led the way out. "Let's get outta here." He called, leading his companions out the back door where they crouched behind some large plants just in time as two guards entered the house.

"Should've never let you guys talk me into this." Clay muttered, his eyes following the movements of the armed guards.

Wesley turned back to him. "Shut up." He ordered, though his voice harsh but soft so as not to alert the guards. "We'll split up and meet in San Francisco. Give the urn to your friend and hock it right away." Wesley continued, passing the urn to Clay.

Clay made a move to get up, but was stopped by Palmer grabbing his arm. "Don't you think about ripping us off 'cause I'll find you." Palmer threatened before letting go of Clay and allowing him to run off. Palmer followed suite and ran off in another direction.

Wesley waited a moment before taking off in a third direction. He pulled to a stop when he noticed the golden dust forming in front of him, blocking his exit. It fully formed into a woman and his eyes widened in shock and fear. "Whoa. What are you?" Wesley demanded sharply.

"I'm the guardian of the urn." She replied cryptically, taking several steps forward.

"The what?" Wesley asked as the guardian touched her ring and then Wesley's chest. "Hey, what are you doing?" Wesley tried to move away, but didn't move fast enough as a large spider appeared where she had touched him. He screamed in pain as the spider bit him and in moments he had fallen to the ground, still writhing in agony.

Palmer had come back, upon hearing his friend's yell, to see what was going on. He stopped behind the plants where he could just see Wesley through the leaves.

The guardian of the urn watched as Wesley slowly died. "You are being punished for your greed…" She explained, her eyes then flickering to where she knew Palmer was hiding.

"… As for your friends..." She trailed off pointedly as Palmer took off in another direction.

~PO3~

The Halliwell Manor

Three days later, Phoebe was practically running down the stairs trying to put some finishing touches on her make-up with Piper just behind her.

"New York Clay? That Clay?" Piper demanded as she jumped down the steps two at a time to keep up with Phoebe's pace.

Phoebe gave the slightest of nods, trying to appear nonchalant as she ran a hand self-consciously through her hair. "That's the one." She replied, not looking back to face Piper.

"You said you never wanted to see him again." Piper accused.

"Ancient history." Phoebe admitted with a soft laugh.

"Six months?" Piper asked in disbelief.

Phoebe reached the bottom of the stairs and finally turned to face her pestering older sister. "Five." She corrected absently. Phoebe stopped just in front of Prue, who was listening to the conversation with raised eyebrows, trying to figure out what Piper and Phoebe were talking about. "He's just stopping by on his way home. It's not a big deal. He was traveling or something."

Prue frowned and decided she need a little more direct information. "Who's Clay?"

"Nobody." Phoebe answered immediately, not really in the mood to explain everything to her eldest sister.

Piper glanced from Phoebe to Prue with narrowed eyes. "Her ex-boyfriend. The musician. She met him when she was working at the Rainbow Room. You remember?" She prompted.

Prue thought the information over and shook her head. "No, I don't. Nobody told me." She replied to Piper before turning to Phoebe curiously. "They hired you at the Rainbow Room?"

Phoebe nodded a little smugly but Piper answered before Phoebe could. "Yeah, she was the hostess until she started working at the Chelsea Pier." Piper continued to explain for her elder sister's benefit when it became obvious that she didn't know anything.

Phoebe rolled her eyes at their continued conversation. "Okay, can we talk about this later please?" She interrupted as the doorbell rang. "A lot later. We're just friends, that's all."

She assured her older sisters, slowly taking steps toward the front door. "Do I have lipstick on my teeth?" Phoebe asked self-consciously, smiling widely for her sisters.

"Yes." Piper lied.

"Oh…" Phoebe murmured, rubbing her teeth frantically with finger. All three sisters turned upon hearing the front door opening and Paige walked in, glancing curiously behind her at the man on the front step.

"Uh, Phoebe. There's someone here for you." Paige called through the house before she caught sight of her sisters. Her eyes lingered on Phoebe's dressed-up clothing and she looked back toward the man curiously.

Phoebe smiled widely and pushed past Paige, who gave her a glare for knocking into her.

Prue watched Phoebe leave, smirking slightly. "That was mean." She pointed out to Piper.

Piper shook her head. "That was not mean." Piper argued.

"Okay." Prue conceded with a shrug while Paige walked forward to stand beside them.

"What was mean?" Paige wondered, still staring after where Phoebe had disappeared to meet the guy at the door.

"Piper's mean." Prue replied, earning a smack on the arm from Piper. Prue ignored her and walked toward the front door, Piper and Paige following.

Phoebe had opened the door to meet Clay when they stopped in the doorway of the Conservatory.

"Phoebe." Clay greeted softly.

"Hey." Phoebe breathed, biting her lip slightly. She was unprepared for the old attraction to come back so quickly.

From the doorway, Prue narrowed her eyes slightly in her typical over-protective big sister mode before exchanging a glance with Paige, who was completely lost on what was going on. Piper looked thoughtful as she thought of everything Phoebe had told her about this guy.

"It's really good to see you." Clay finally managed to reply, his eyes flickering over Phoebe.

Phoebe laughed a little in agreement before stepping forward and allowing herself to be pulled into a friendly hug. She jerked slightly as she was thrown into a premonition.

She and Clay were in bed together, kissing passionately.

Phoebe slowly pulled back a large smile on her face.

Clay looked at her curiously for a moment. "You okay?" He asked.

Phoebe nodded slightly. "Uh huh." She assured him before remembering her sisters behind her. She turned back to introduce Clay to them. "Ooh." Phoebe whispered, her thoughts invariably thinking of her premonition.

~PO3~

Quake

"What else don't I know?" Prue questioned from where she sat next to Piper at the bar. Prue was leaning casually against the counter while Piper was working on the books in front of her.

Piper sighed softly before looking up at Prue. "Prue, don't take this personally, but sometimes you can be a bit judgmental." She explained, glancing back down at her work.

Prue laughed a little at the thought. "Oh, that is so not true." Prue denied while Piper dropped her pen and raised her eyebrows in disbelief. Prue frowned thoughtfully and shrugged. "Alright, so maybe it's sometimes true…" She allowed. "I just don't understand why Phoebe never even told me about this guy."

"People don't like to dwell on things that end badly." Piper replied.

Prue looked at Piper in disbelief. "Yeah, well I wish my relationships ended that badly. Did you hear them last night? There was music, there was wine, there was…"

"… Talking." Piper interrupted Prue's list. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously at her older sister.

Paige came up behind her two sisters and took a seat on the other side of Piper. "Gossiping, I see. Mind if I join?" Paige teased, glancing over at Prue curiously. Without waiting for a response she continued. "How do you know there was wine?"

Prue opened her mouth to speak but Piper beat her to it. "She peeked." Piper explained for Paige's benefit.

Paige shook her head and looked away. "You don't look in on me when I bring guys over to the house, do you?" She asked, biting her lip slightly at the thought.

"Of course not. You talk to me. It's just if nobody tells me anything, I have to get creative." Prue assured Paige with a sigh.

Paige smiled, satisfied with Prue's answer. "In that case, next time you spy on Phoebe. I want to come too!" Paige announced, glancing over at Prue hopefully. Prue laughed softly and gave Paige a slight nod in agreement. "Yes! Revenge is so sweet." Paige exclaimed, rubbing her hands together eagerly. She couldn't pass up an opportunity to get back at Phoebe for all those dates she ruined back in high school.

Piper stared at her eldest and youngest sisters in disgust. "I can't believe you two. You ought to be ashamed." She scolded, crossing her arms pointedly across her chest.

"Oh, come on, Piper. You know she peeks in on your dates too. It's just a sister thing." Paige pointed out innocently causing Piper to blush slightly at the thought of Phoebe watching her and Leo.

Eager to change the subject she looked back down at her books. "Stop worrying about her, Prue. She'll be fine." Piper soothed. There was a clinking of glass that alerted Piper of one of the bartenders dropping his tray of glasses and without casting a glance toward him, she threw her hand out freezing the room. "She knows what she's doing." Piper added while Prue and Paige were staring at her in surprise. "Watch that entrance. Make sure nobody comes in." She ordered, pointing to the front entrance before walking around the bar toward the bartender.

Prue's mouth had dropped at Piper's uncharacteristic use of magic. She followed the bartender's frozen gaze to a blonde waitress that was passing by. Paige was looking between them sympathetically.

Piper grabbed the glasses out of midair, placed them on the bar, and straightened the bartender's tray. She quickly sat the glasses back on the level tray and the room unfroze. The bartender stumbled slightly, but Piper was there to steady him. "Whoa, Doug, easy."

Doug looked at Piper gratefully, his gaze flickering from her to the waitress. "Thanks, Piper. I hope Shelley didn't see that." He murmured, watching as the waitress disappeared into an adjoining room of the restaurant.

"Oh, don't worry about that, you just hang in there." Piper encouraged, going back to her seat between Prue and Paige.

"I see Doug is still dropping things." Paige observed with a slight frown.

Before Piper could respond, Prue spoke up, still staring in disbelief at Piper. "What was that?" She demanded.

"What?" Piper asked, a little surprised by the demand in Prue's voice.

Prue made a motion with her hands that imitated Piper's freezing motion. "That. You know, the guy, the glass. Do you do that often?..." There was pause for dramatic effect.

"...Freeze time in front of, ooh, I don't know, let's say everybody?" She clarified with narrowed eyes.

Piper nodded, not appearing too worried. "Yeah. I'm finally getting some control over the unfreezing. The poor guy, he just keeps dropping everything. Paige suggested I freeze him." Piper explained with a shrug. She turned on Paige with a glare when the youngest Halliwell kicked Piper under the table.

Prue's narrowed eyes flickered from Piper to Paige knowingly and Paige dropped the smug look and glanced casually away, twirling a piece of her long dark hair. After a moment Prue decided to ignore their sister feud and looked back at Piper. "Well, then maybe you should just fire him." She pointed out.

Piper turned her back on Paige pointedly, giving Prue her full attention. "Mmm… The owner wants me to. Actually threatened to fire me if I don't, but Doug's just going through a hard time right now. Shelley, the waitress, just dumped him after six years of dating." Piper replied, sounding sympathetic.

Prue sent a glare at Paige upon hearing that Piper could get fired for not firing Doug. Paige looked just as surprised by the news and threw her hands up innocently. "I didn't know that little detail." Paige promised with wide brown eyes.

Prue sighed and glanced back at Piper whose attention was back on her work. "So, what? You're playing cupid at the risk of your own job?" She prompted, effectively gaining Piper's attention again.

"Well, yeah, I mean, Doug loves her. He even bought an engagement ring and everything, he just waited too long to ask. So now he's a wreck." Piper elaborated.

"Still, you can't just keep, you know…" Prue trailed off, making another hand movement that mimicked Piper's freezing. "… freezing in order to protect him." She pointed out, nodding in Doug's direction.

"I know." Piper responded before changing the subject again. "So are you still going back to Bucklands?"

Prue looked confused but nodded slightly. "Yeah. That's where I work." She reminded Piper as if she had forgotten.

Paige looked up curiously. "Hmmm… We just thought after getting arrested and all, you might decide to find another job or something." Paige explained and Prue's eyes lit with understanding.

"Well, if we don't save the auction house I might have to. Rex…" Prue began to reply, but trailed off as she was side-tracked by Piper throwing another hand out freezing the room as Doug had tripped while carrying a bunch of plates past Shelley. "…bankrupt." Prue finished with a roll of her eyes.

"What were you saying?" Piper asked, currently ignoring Doug for the moment to turn back to Prue curiously while Paige was attempting to stifle her giggles.

Prue glanced thoughtfully from Piper to Doug and just smiled. "Never mind. I gotta go." She announced, grabbing her stuff together. She turned to Paige with a pleading look in her ice blue eyes. "So, you think you could help me out?" She asked hopefully.

Paige looked a little surprised and glanced at Piper, but she wasn't paying attention. "Uh, sure. I suppose I could. What is it?"

"I was just wondering if you would come with me to work and check out my new boss for me. I don't particularly want to get arrested again." Prue answered.

Paige laughed softly and nodded. "Sure. I guess jail didn't agree with you too much?"

"Definitely not. I wouldn't do so well in jail." Prue admitted, grabbing Paige's hand and pulling her out to where she'd parked her car. Prue and Paige gave one last wave to Piper as Piper walked past them to stop in front of Doug, looking at him thoughtfully and trying to decide how to fix this situation.

~PO3~

The Park

Phoebe and Clay were walking through the park as Clay divulged some of what he had been doing. "I wish you could've been there, Phoebe. You would've loved Egypt. Pyramids, giant sphinx, Nile River, camel taxis. It was amazing."

Phoebe glanced at him in disbelief as soon as he mentioned camel taxis. "You rode a camel?" She asked with a slight shake of her head.

"Hey, they're friendlier than some of the cab drivers I met, believe me." Clay countered lightly.

"Can't imagine they're faster." Phoebe shrugged, looking back over at Clay.

Clay smiled in silent agreement and a silence fell over them. After several moments of just walking Clay decided to break it. "You were right to leave me." He allowed, his eyes not leaving her.

"Ooh and the conversation turns." Phoebe joked to hide her nervousness about breaching this subject.

"No, I'm serious. You were the best thing that ever happened to me and I blew it. I know that." Clay continued.

"Clay…" Phoebe interrupted, looking straight ahead instead of at the guy beside her.

Clay held back a chuckle. "What? Too much, too soon?" He guessed.

Phoebe smiled and nodded. "Yep." She laughed and he quickly joined her. Phoebe glanced down at the ground for a moment before looking back up at Clay. "Look, I hope you don't take this the wrong way but why are you here? With me now?" She finally asked.

"Why, can't a guy visit?" Clay wondered with mock innocence.

"Yeah, but you're not just a guy…" Phoebe pointed out, playfully hitting him with her purse. "… You're Clay and Clay comes with strings attached." She finished

"I never could hide anything from you." Clay admitted with a chuckle.

Phoebe rolled her eyes good-naturedly and turned on him. "Actually, you could. That was one of our problems, remember?" She reminded him.

There was a moment of silence before Clay confessed his presence. "I picked up this urn at an overseas market. Thought it might be worth something."

"So you want me to get Prue to help you because of the auction house." Phoebe stated as much as asked.

"Guilty." Clay conceded, glancing hopefully toward Phoebe.

Phoebe sighed in relief. "Phew. For a minute there I thought you were here to win me back."

"No, Phoebe. I think too much for you to believe you're still interested." Clay assured her, halting the walk so he could face her. "Look, it's no secret. I've been in some trouble, gotten in too deep. I just thought if I could sell this urn, make some money, pay off a little debt, I can make a fresh start." He explained while Phoebe watched him thoughtfully.

"Hey, think about it. Please, Phoebe."

~PO3~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue and Paige walked into Prue's office only to stop upon seeing another woman looking through Prue's filing cabinets.

"Hi." Prue greeted politely though her eyes were narrowed slightly in suspicion.

Paige was watching the other woman closely as she leaned closer to Prue. "Is that your new boss?" She whispered, receiving only a shrug from Prue.

The woman glanced up from the files to look at Prue and Paige before looking back down at the files. "Oh, hi, one of you must be Prue." She stated, not bothering to introduce herself.

Prue held her hand up pointedly. "Uh, me." She replied, expecting the woman to return the introduction. With no response forthcoming she prompted. "And you must be…?"

"Claire. Claire Pryce." The woman answered finally stepping away from Prue's files to shake hands with Prue. "The bank assigned me to see if the business is worth salvaging or not." Claire's sharp eyes flickered to rest on Paige. "And you?"

"Oh, I don't work here. I'm Prue's sister, Paige." Paige stammered, also shaking hands with Claire. She forced a nervous smile under Claire's scrutinizing eyes.

Claire nodded slightly in greeting before turning back to Prue. "I'm looking for inventory records. The files in my predecessor's office were empty." She explained, waving her hand in the direction of Prue's filing cabinet.

Prue nodded in understanding. "Yes, well, Rex and Hannah weren't exactly qualified."

Paige snorted at the understatement receiving a warning glare from Prue.

Claire ignored the sisterly exchange and turned back to the files. "Obviously why Bucklands is in such dire straits." Claire moved around Prue's desk, allowing Prue and Paige to move back behind it. "To be honest with you, Prue, I don't know anything about auction houses and I know even less about art, but what I do know is the bottom line. If we don't move $1.2 million dollars worth of inventory at the auction tomorrow, I'm shutting the place down." Claire announced, while Prue exchanged a look of confusion with Paige.

"Excuse me, did you say tomorrow?" Prue asked.

"Did I stutter?" Claire replied snappily.

Prue was silent a moment, a little surprised by her new boss' attitude. "With all due respect, you don't just decide to throw an auction, okay. You need advance notice, a catalogue, buyers." Prue pointed out as politely as she could.

Claire nodded, smirking slightly. "Then it looks like you've got a lot of work ahead of you, doesn't it?"

Prue stared after her in disbelief as Claire turned and left Prue's office. After a moment Prue turned to look at Paige. "So? Anything?" She prompted hesitantly.

"You mean other than her attitude?" Paige joked, falling silent at the glare Prue sent her. "No, I don't sense anything unusual. I think she's safe." She soothed her now paranoid elder sister.

As Paige finished her sentence Phoebe, followed by Clay, came into Prue's office. Phoebe glanced back at the doorway before turning back to Prue with a wide smile. "Who was that?" She asked, pointing back toward where she and Clay had ran into Claire.

"The new sheriff." Prue answered, assuming they were talking about Claire.

Clay stepped forward, bringing the urn forward as well. "Hey, Prue, Paige." He greeted.

"Hi." Paige returned immediately while Prue took a step toward them, her eyes landing on the urn in Clay's hands.

"Hey, Clay. What's up?" Prue wondered.

"Uh, favor…" Phoebe began, reaching out and taking the urn from Clay. "… Clay was hoping that maybe you could sell this for him." She explained, placing the urn on the desk just in front of Prue.

Clay nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I picked it up at a market overseas."

Prue narrowed her eyes at his choice of words. "Picked it up? Does that mean you bought it?" She questioned, a little disbelieving. Her eyes flickered to look at Clay for a hint of a lie, but she was distracted by Paige lightly kicking her behind the desk.

"Not now." Paige breathed, just barely loud enough for Prue to hear her.

Phoebe tilted her head to the side at Prue's question, oblivious to the soft exchange between Prue and Paige. "What else could it mean?"

Prue glanced at Paige and reluctantly dropped it. Instead her eyes glanced over the urn, impressed. "Well, it's really beautiful. Gold inlay, 24-carat, a lot of lapis. Looks to be from Egypt." She began.

"Exactly, that's where I was traveling." Clay admitted with a nod.

"These etchings are quite interesting, very unusual." Prue added, tilting the urn around for a better look.

"You think it's worth something?" Clay asked curiously.

Prue sat the urn back down on her desk, looking thoughtful. "Oh, well, I would have to determine the urn's origins, its previous owners…"

"Oh, can't you just skip a step or two?" Phoebe interrupted in a pleading tone.

Paige looked at Phoebe in disbelief. "She could get fired for that, Pheebs." She pointed out mildly.

Prue nodded in agreement. "Not only that, I cannot risk this auction house's reputation with something like this without checking on it first." Prue continued sounding at least a little apologetic.

Phoebe turned large, pleading brown eyes on her eldest sister. "Come on, come on, come on. I will, uh, what will I do...?" Phoebe looked away thoughtfully before jumping back around with an idea. "... I will cook you dinner!" She offered enthusiastically.

Prue laughed, giving into her little sister's pleading. "Oh, don't threaten me. Fine, I'll see what I can do." She promised

"Hey, thanks. Thanks a lot." Clay appreciated.

"Is she the best or what?" Phoebe asked rhetorically, pulling Prue into a hug. Phoebe pulled back and glanced at Paige. "Uh, no offense Paigey. I love you." She added quickly.

Paige nodded, smirking slightly. "Love you too, Pheebs." Paige offered, watching as Phoebe and Clay linked arms and left. Prue and Paige exchanged a glance and a shrug as Prue turned her attention back to the urn.

~PO3~

Clay reached out and pushed the door of the main entrance open, holding it open as Phoebe walked through. "Thanks for doing that, Phoebe." He appreciated for at least the third time since they had left Prue's office.

Phoebe smiled, glancing back at him as he let the door go and followed. "No problem. Prue can get you a great price for it too. She's really good at her job." Phoebe replied pleasantly.

"Well, it would be nice if she just liked me a little bit." Clay sighed, having picked up on the eldest Halliwell's negative vibes.

Phoebe laughed softly. "She likes you. She's just real protective of me, that's all." She reassured him, following him as he led her down the steps of the auction house entrance.

"I remember when that was my job." Clay reminisced, wrapping his arm around Phoebe's shoulder as her arm wrapped around his waist.

"Yeah, and then I quit you." Phoebe laughed and Clay quickly joined in.

Both Phoebe and Clay turned around upon hearing Palmer behind them. "Hey, Clay." Palmer greeted, stopping just in front of them.

Clay narrowed his eyes slightly, not particularly keen to have to explain this guy to Phoebe. It would involve lying even more to her. "Palmer." He returned with a slight nod of greeting. "What are you doing here?" He asked while Phoebe's eyes flickered from Clay to Palmer.

"I'm bumping into you." Palmer answered pointedly. His gaze flickered to Phoebe. "Aren't you going to introduce us?" Palmer prompted, looking back at Clay.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. Phoebe, this is Palmer. I met him in Cairo." Clay introduced them, waving his hand toward Palmer.

Phoebe reached out and politely shook Palmer's hand. "Hi. Oh, wow, small world, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, what's going on with that urn?" Palmer immediately questioned, ignoring Phoebe's comment.

Phoebe frowned in confusion. "Wait, you know about the urn too?" She asked curiously.

Clay hesitated a moment before speaking up as Phoebe began to get suspicious. "Well, actually, that's where we met. The market place where I bought it." He lied, hoping Phoebe wouldn't question him more.

Palmer nodded, going along with the lie. "Yeah, right, the market place. Right, I thought you were gonna sell it." He pressed pointedly.

"Well, actually, Phoebe's sister works at that auction house. She's looking for buyers as we speak." Clay explained calmly.

"That's good, that's good. The sooner the better I guess, huh?" Palmer responded, crossing his arms and appearing satisfied. He ran a hand through his hair while shaking his head.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes at Palmer. "Hey, are you okay?" She asked, biting her lip slightly.

"Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine, thank you. It's just, uh, I'm a little tired, jet lag, you know." Palmer replied, a little too enthusiastically. Phoebe nodded in understanding, but didn't appear convinced by his declaration. Palmer seemed to notice because he spoke up before she could question him further. "Hey, are you staying at the Ashcroft like I suggested?"

He questioned, turning back to Clay.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Clay agreed, giving him a slight nod.

"Me too. Uh, maybe we'll hook up later?" Palmer suggested.

"Mmmhmm…" Clay allowed

Palmer looked away from Clay and back to Phoebe. "It's nice to meet you." Palmer offered, shaking hands with Phoebe again.

Phoebe smiled politely in agreement. "Oh, yeah, you too." Her eyes followed Palmer as he disappeared in the crowd surrounding the busy auction house. "Eww… creepy guy." She commented with a frown.

Clay also watched Palmer leave before glancing around at his surroundings. "Yeah." He agreed, his eyes focusing on the small café nearby. "You hungry?" He asked, taking Phoebe's hand and pulling her toward it.

~PO3~

The Halliwell Manor

After checking on Claire, Paige had orbed back to the Manor and was flipping absently through the Book of Shadows, which currently lay on her bed in front of her. She wasn't looking for anything in particular, just flipping through when a familiar swirl of blue and white lights lit up her room. Paige jumped off the bed, looking around wildly for something good to throw as a man materialized on the other side of her room. She held her hand out, but stopped herself from calling for an object when she recognized him.

"Leo?" Paige gasped, her eyes wide with shock. Their handyman had just appeared in front of her. Her thoughts not registering to the fact that he had orbed caused Paige to panic slightly.

Leo stepped forward, putting his hands up in a sign of peace. "Paige, wait, I can explain." He spoke up immediately after recognizing her fear.

Paige didn't wait for an explanation. "TV!" She called and her television disappeared and reappeared, flying straight towards Leo.

Leo's eyes widened and he orbed out, just seconds before the T.V. would have hit him. The T.V. slammed into the wall with a loud bang and crashed to the floor just as Leo reappeared in the same spot he had just been.

"What are you?" Paige demanded, brown eyes narrowed as they frantically looked around for something else to throw.

"I'm a whitelighter! Like your father." Leo quickly replied before Paige could throw something else at him.

Paige lowered her hand slightly, but didn't appear convinced. "A whitelighter…?" She asked, prompting further explanation.

Leo nodded and dared to take a single step forward. "Yes. That's why I can orb. Like you." He added. He orbed out and orbed back in in the same spot as if to prove a point. "Whitelighters are in your book if you want to make sure."

Paige hesitantly stepped forward, back towards her bed and the book. As she reached for the pages they suddenly began to flip on their own and she jumped back again. The book stopped revealing a page titled 'Whitelighters.' "That still doesn't prove anything." Paige snapped still disbelieving. "What do you want?"

Leo was silent for a moment. "Look, Paige. I know you can sense good and evil. Like you did with Rex before… Listen to that, trust it. What is it telling you?"

Paige took a breath to calm herself. He at least wasn't trying anything at this moment if he was going to attack her. She felt the familiar peaceful feeling wash over her.

"Peaceful…" She admitted reluctantly. Despite her attempts to stay on her guard she couldn't help but drop it a little at that feeling.

Leo smiled and nodded in satisfaction. He leaned forward and pointed to a section of the Whitelighter page labeled 'The Elders.'

Paige read over that section curiously. "Okay…?" She prompted, growing impatient.

"I'm you and your sisters' whitelighter. The elders sent me to get you so they could talk to you about your whitelighter side." Leo explained slowly. "I can explain more up there, but we need to leave before your sisters get home. They're not supposed to know yet."

"They sent you to 'get me?'" Paige asked, trying to figure out where Leo thought he was going to take her.

Leo nodded and he held his hand out for the youngest Halliwell to take. "We're just going to orb there." He assured her.

Paige bit her lip. "What do you mean my sisters aren't supposed to know? I can't leave without telling them. They'll get worried."

"You won't be gone long, but it's not the time for them to know about me yet. Everything will be explained once we get up there." Leo replied.

Paige hesitated a moment longer before reaching forward and grabbing his offered hand. She felt the familiar pull as she orbed with Leo, following after him. When they rematerialized Paige was surrounded by white clouds and there were many people dressed in long white robes. There were a few that were wearing regular clothes like her and Leo. Paige's eyes widened in surprise as several people broke away from a large group and approached her and Leo. "What exactly are we here to talk about again?" Paige breathed, biting her lip slightly trying to hide how much these people intimidated her. She edged closer to Leo just because he was the only one she sorta knew, even thought she  
was a little creeped out that he had been their undercover whitelighter.

"Your first charge." Leo answered, offering her a reassuring smile.

~PO3~

Airport

Palmer walked up to a Custom's officer who was checking over a large wooden box. The officer looked up from his clipboard to meet Palmer. "Can I help you?" He asked professionally.

"I was a friend of Wesley's. His family wanted me to make sure he got home alright." Palmer explained, stopping next to the large wooden box that the Custom's officer was leaning against.

The officer looked away from Palmer and back down at his clipboard where he jotted something down. "Sorry. How'd he die?" The officer questioned though he didn't sound all that interested in the answer.

Palmer shrugged, appearing dazed as if he couldn't believe it. "I don't know. Spider bite, I think." He answered. He shook his head trying to focus on the more important topics.

"He's off to JFK, right?"

"First flight in the morning." The officer assured him after shuffling through some of the papers. The Custom's officer turned and left, leaving Palmer next to the wooden box.

Palmer's hand reached out to touch the box. "Sorry, Wes." He breathed with a sigh before he turned to leave.

The Egyptian picture previously seen on the urn was now on the side of the box closest to the wall of the building. As Palmer left the picture began to glow golden before it turned to golden dust. The dust swirled until the Guardian of the Urn had materialized. Her eyes followed as Palmer disappeared from view.

~PO3~

Bucklands Auction House/ Quake

"What am I supposed to think, Piper? Phoebe's ex pops into town and wants me to sell something for him. You think that's a coincidence?" Prue asked as she sat at her desk, typing one-handed on her computer with the phone in her other hand.

Piper was leaning against the bar at Quake on the other end of the phone. She rolled her eyes at Prue's paranoia. "Oh, Prue. You wonder why you're outta the loop. You worry too much about Phoebe." Piper commented gently.

Prue shook her head despite Piper being unable to see it. "No, I don't. I just don't wanna see her get hurt, that's all." She countered with a sigh. "Look, I just get this really bad feeling about Clay, I can't explain it."

"I can. You don't think he's good enough for her. Just like John wasn't good enough for Paige and just like you didn't think Jeremy was good enough for me." Piper explained knowledgably. She paused a moment, thinking about Jeremy. "Of course, in his case, you were right, but that's not my point." Piper added, frowning slightly.

"No, your point is it's none of my business and you're probably right." Prue conceded, closing the screen of her laptop. There was moment of silence before Prue smirked and couldn't keep from bringing up Doug. "Speaking of playing matchmaker, how's Doug?" She wondered curiously.

Piper bit her lip and narrowed her eyes in the direction where Doug was supposed to be working currently. "The same, unfortunately. Except I'm getting a little freeze-frazzled. It's draining."

"Don't you think you need to find a better way to deal before you get fired?" Prue pressed though she did sound sympathetic to Piper's plight.

Piper nodded in agreement. "I know." She agreed before her eyes caught sight of Doug about to pass Shelley. "Oops, I gotta go, I gotta go." Piper muttered into the phone, hanging up on Prue without waiting for a response. She took off in Doug's direction as he turned to watch as Shelley walked past him. His arms that were holding a tray of cutlery knocked a vase off its perch and it smashed into the ground. The cutlery fell from his arms and clattered to the floor. Piper sighed as she didn't quite get her hands up in time to freeze him. "Sorry, Doug… too pooped to pop." She turned back away from him and dropped into her seat at the bar.

~PO3~

The Heavens

Paige backed a few steps away from the surrounding Whitelighters and Elders, a little overwhelmed by everything they had told her. "Look, I appreciate the offer. I really do, but I'm not a whitelighter. I'm a witch like my sisters." Paige replied to their suggestion of embracing her whitelighter side more. "I mean, technically I am half-whitelighter, but I can't do all that watching and guiding stuff." She elaborated slowly.

Several Whitelighters exchanged glances before one stepped forward. "You've used them to help your sisters. Is it so different to help another?" He questioned, dark blue eyes boring into Paige and making her squirm uncomfortably.

"It's not that… It's just… I already have a job as a Social Worker, plus witch duties and if you add in whitelighter duties my time will just be split way too much and, in the end, I won't be able to do anything as good as I would have." Paige tried to explain. She frowned as she remembered another problem. "I can't keep anything from my sisters… They always find out."

Leo stepped forward from where he stood beside Paige. "Maybe it would benefit her if you showed her who her charge was and let her know exactly what the job entails." He suggested, with a glance toward Paige.

Despite herself, Paige couldn't help but be a little excited about finding out who her charge would be… if she chose to listen to these people.

One of the Elders nodded in agreement to Leo's suggestion. He stepped forward and waved his hand. Among the clouds a pool of water formed. It rippled and a figure appeared instead of a reflection.

"He's a future hunter who remains ignorant of his destiny."

Paige took a step forward and gasped softly at the familiar figure. "Uh, Mr. Elder… sir. I mean no disrespect but I think you've got the wrong person." Paige stammered her dark brown eyes wide.

The Elder smiled faintly and shook his head. "No, it is right. His powers will reveal themselves when he needs them the most, but until that time, I believe you understand why a whitelighter would benefit him."

Paige's eyes flickered back down to the pool of water. "Yeah… he does have an uncanny habit of getting involved with us." She agreed with a soft laugh.

"He is drawn to you and your sisters through your magic, though your sisters nor him realize it. When the time comes, it is his destiny to help the Charmed Ones. And you'll need it." The Elder elaborated cryptically.

"All I have to do is watch him and make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble around us?" Paige asked receiving several nods in return. She figured she could squeeze that in fairly easily. She already did it for the most part anyways. She looked thoughtfully back down at the pool before nodding confidently. "I think I can do that."

~PO3~

The Halliwell Manor

"I'm surprised you moved back here." Clay commented to Phoebe. He was sitting next to her on the floor of the Conservatory while eating Chinese take-out. "I remember a few late nights, a few beers, a few not-so-pleasant conversations about your sisters. Here you are, living together again. Necessity or choice?" He wondered curiously.

Phoebe frowned slightly at the memories that resurfaced of her harsh descriptions of her sisters. She looked away thoughtfully a moment before looking back at Clay. "I think a little bit of both." She allowed with a slight shrug. "Anyway, things have kind of picked up at the Halliwell Manor."

Clay took a bite of his food. "Like how?" He asked, a little surprised by that declaration.

"Oh, well, let's just say, uh, San Francisco has been a lot more unusual than New York." Phoebe explained cryptically. "More rice?" She offered in an attempt to keep Clay from thinking too much about what she had just said. Phoebe didn't want to try to cover for another 'how?'

"No thanks." Clay declined, taking another bite of his food. He glanced over at Phoebe upon realizing he didn't know much about her. "You know, Phoebe, you really haven't said much about what you've been doing." Clay pointed out, prompting an elaboration on the subject.

Phoebe looked up from her food, biting her lip slightly. "Protecting the innocent from evil." She answered truthfully. She was fairly sure he wouldn't take her seriously.

Clay rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Come on, be serious." He ordered lightly causing Phoebe to smile. "I mean, you barely had a spare minute in New York. Three jobs just to afford your social calendar."

"Things have changed. I've changed." Phoebe replied softly.

Clay looked into her eyes and recognized the truth in the statement. He nodded slightly, appearing thoughtful. "I'm trying to change too." He admitted. "One thing that won't change is how I feel about you." He added, leaning forward and wrapping his arm around her neck. Clay slowly pulled Phoebe forward until they were kissing.

Phoebe broke the kiss after several moments, pulling back with a sigh. She looked away from him to hide her conflicting emotions.

Clay moved back, also, putting more space between them. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't…" He apologized.

"No, it's- it's not that, believe me. I, uh, it took me a long time to get over you and I just wanna be careful." Phoebe explained after several moments of uncertain silence.

"I understand." Clay replied with the slightest of nods. "But if I cleaned up my act would you consider moving back?" He couldn't help but ask hopefully.

Phoebe laughed, turning back to her food. "Do not go there now." She ordered, playfully slapping him on the arm. They both looked up from their take-out upon hearing the front door close followed moments later by Prue walking into the room.

Prue stopped short in the doorway, a little embarrassed by her sudden entrance into what was obviously supposed to be private. "Oh, sorry to interrupt." She responded immediately, biting her lip slightly.

"It's okay. It happens." Phoebe answered, flashing a reassuring smile back toward her eldest sister.

"I should get back to the hotel anyway." Clay decided, putting his food down on the table in front of him and slowly standing up.

He reached to pick up the Chinese containers to help clean up, but Phoebe reached out, stopping him. "Clay, stop, I got it, I got it."

With a glance at Phoebe, Clay pulled away from the food and looked toward Prue. "So, how's it going with the urn?" He wondered pointedly.

"It's going." Prue allowed cryptically.

Phoebe smiled faintly, holding her Chinese container in her hand. "I think what he's trying to ask is it going, going, gone?" Phoebe prompted.

"Well, I put it on the auction block." Prue answered simply.

"Wow, great, that's great. Thanks a lot." Clay appreciated.

"Yeah, well, I'm still waiting for the background check to come through so that I can set a reserve price." Prue explained with a quick nod in Clay's direction.

Clay shrugged unconcerned. "Okay, whatever you get for it is fine with me."

Prue narrowed her eyes suspiciously at his statement. "As long as it sells, right, and in a hurry?" Prue guessed.

"Well, from what I understand if anyone can do that it's you." Clay countered lightly. When Prue didn't reply he turned toward Phoebe and kissed her gently, his hands resting on Phoebe's shoulders. "So I'll call you tomorrow. Then you can show me around the city. Let me see where I left my heart." Prue rolled her eyes and looked away at the cheesy comment while Clay gave Phoebe another light kiss before heading out the door. As he passed Prue he added. "Hey, I really appreciate it, thanks again."

"Anything for Pheebs." Prue replied, just before Phoebe closed the door behind Clay.

Phoebe turned away from the door, looking at Prue to find her eldest sister watching her closely. "What?" She asked curiously.

Prue hesitated a moment, not sure how her younger sister would take her answer. "Nothing. I can worry about my little sister, can't I?" She questioned, almost for permission, even if a negative answer wouldn't change her habits.

"Don't ever stop." Phoebe whispered gratefully, receiving an answering smile from Prue. Before either could say anything else, a small explosion erupted from the attic. Prue and Phoebe exchanged narrow-eyed glances and took off up the stairs to find out what happened.

~PO4~

Prue and Phoebe barreled through the attic door with Prue in the lead. "Are you okay?" Prue demanded before she'd even gotten the door open. She slowed down upon seeing Piper perfectly fine. She waved her hand to try and clear the smoke away from her as it was thick in the air of the attic.

Piper was sitting cross-legged on the floor with the Book of Shadows opened on their spell table. "Nothing to see here people. Move along." She called, waving her hand in dismissal of her sisters.

"Welcome to London." Phoebe joked, following Prue through the thick smoke to stop in front of Piper.

"What did you do?" Prue asked, her eyes landing on their Wiccan pot that was the source of the smoke.

Phoebe, also, caught sight of it. "More like who did you do it to?" She countered with narrowed eyes.

Piper sighed and stood up from the floor. "I put a charm on Doug, but I doubled the recipe. Just something to boost his confidence so he can give love a shot and give me a break." Piper explained with a shrug.

"Go ahead, Prue. Yell at her." Phoebe allowed, pointing at Piper expectantly. In response, Prue looked a little surprised, obviously having no intent of yelling at Piper.

"It's not for personal gain." Piper retorted hastily. "And it fits into the whole harm none thing that we have to live by, besides, Prue's the one who told me to do something."

"Did not." Prue argued indignantly.

"Yes, you did." Piper countered. "I just need Doug to stop dropping things so I can stop freezing things. I'm just exhausted." She explained, walking around the small table to stand beside Phoebe.

Prue shook her head slightly. "You know, maybe he and Shelley aren't meant to be together. Not everybody's supposed to be." Prue pointed out mildly.

Phoebe rolled her eyes at the underlying message. "Oh, that was, that was real subtle, Prue."

Piper laughed softly at their bickering. "Well, we'll never know unless Doug has the guts to pop the question. All I'm doing is giving it to him." She insisted.

"It's just like the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz!" Phoebe exclaimed receiving two very confused glances from her elder sisters. "Well, it is."

Piper's smile suddenly faded as she looked around the room. "Where's Missy Paige?" She wondered aloud.

~PO4~

Paige orbed back in her room from her meeting with Leo and the Elders to find all three of her sisters home from work. The book was no longer in her room, having been used by Piper to put a charm on Doug. She ran up the stairs to the attic where she figured it would be, her curiosity getting the better of her. Paige wanted to look in the book for the page on the hunters… to better get to know what her charge would eventually help them with. She halted just inside the attic door upon seeing Prue flipping through the book.

"Hey, Paige. Where've you been?" Prue asked curiously, not looking up from the pages of the book.

Paige hesitated having forgotten she needed to come up with a cover. The prolonged silence caused Prue to glance up suspiciously so Paige hastily answered with the first thing she thought of. "Uh, I was with… Alex."

Prue didn't look convinced and tilted her head slightly to the side. "Alex? Are you dating him again?"

"Well, technically we were never officially going out before, but sure. I guess you could say that now." Paige replied, making a mental note to herself to call Alex for a date. They only didn't go out before because the whole demon, work, and school taking up all their time. She prayed Prue didn't see through her lie.

"I thought you said you two didn't have time with your differing schedules." Prue pointed out with narrow-eyed suspicion.

"I did say that, but his schedule has changed and I decided that it's not every day you come across a guy who doesn't mind dating a witch." Paige explained. She knew it was kind of low for her to bring up the reason Prue and Andy had broken up, but she, also, knew that Prue would let it go with that.

As she had guessed, Prue didn't respond other than to give a slight nod as she looked back down at the book.

"What are you doing?" Paige asked curiously, walking up to stop next to Prue and the book.

"Just… flipping. Do you need it?" Prue wondered.

Paige shrugged deciding it safest to play nonchalant. "Not really. I just find it is an interesting read."

"You're lying." Prue guessed, reading it in Paige's dark brown eyes.

Paige bit her lip and tried desperately not to look flustered. "Okay, earlier today I came across a page on 'Hunters' and I thought they sounded interesting. I wanted to look over them."

Prue nodded slightly, buying the explanation. She flipped through the book until she came across the page. "This?"

"Yeah… Uh… Allies to witches, they have innate abilities to sense evil in disguise. They answer to the Elders and are, therefore, given the ability to orb. Their other powers vary, usually a family power that is passed down through generations though they can have powers bestowed upon them." Paige read aloud, forgetting about Prue for the moment in her haste to understand her charge.

"The Elders? Who are they?" Prue wondered thoughtfully.

Paige shrugged, keeping her eyes on the book. "No idea." She lied.

"Oh well… Wish we had one of those." Prue muttered and with a last glance at the book, made her way through the attic door. "I'll see you tomorrow." She called over her shoulder.

Paige's eyes followed Prue's departure before she turned her attention back to the page. She sighed, realizing this secret was going to be even harder to keep than she'd thought.


	22. Feats of Clay (Part 2)

Bucklands Auction House

"Ladies and gentlemen, this exquisite bronze plated carving dates back to well over one hundred and twenty years. Surely, it's worth more than $2500. Do I hear $2600?" The auctioneer was saying while the assistant to his left was holding up the artifact for display.

Prue passed hastily around the auction to get to one of the auction helpers. "Mark, move the F. Scott Fitzgerald pen to the next slot. Our buyer, Mr. Gordenson, is getting restless. Go." Prue ordered, eyeing one of the seated men nervously.

Mark nodded and walked off to follow Prue's orders as Claire stopped next to Prue with a piece of paper in her hand. "I think you should see this, Prue." Claire announced, grabbing Prue's attention.

"What is it?" Prue asked, taking the paper from Claire's hand.

"It's the appraisal on the urn you requested. The good news is it's worth a fortune, the bad news is…" Claire began.

"… It's stolen." Prue finished, eyeing the paper in disbelief.

Claire nodded in agreement. "Apparently." She allowed, watching Prue closely. "No wonder the auction house is going under. Selling stolen goods." Claire commented.

Prue shook her head immediately. "No, this is highly unusual and very embarrassing."

"Yes, it is." Claire agreed, leaving Prue to deal with the situation as she saw fit.

Prue's eyes landed on the artifacts that were about to be sold. Her eyes widened when she saw the urn was next. "Oh no." She whispered, taking a hesitant step forward. She narrowed her eyes and switched the cards making the painting next to the urn next to be sold.

"$15,000 going once, going twice, sold for $15,000." The auctioneer called, hitting his podium with the wooden hammer.

Prue ignored the ongoing auction and walked up to the table where she grabbed the urn and hastily left the room for her office.

"Next item up, lot number 51." The auctioneer continued while the assistant picked up the painting. "This beautiful twenty four carat gold inlayed urn from Egypt…" He described the urn, only to stop upon noticing the painting. The auctioneer laughed nervously. "Oh, obviously there has been some mistake."

~PO4~

Prue entered her office, her eyes still staring at the appraisal paper in her hand. It was stolen. She couldn't believe she had trusted Clay when she had guessed all along that he had stolen it. Prue sighed and placed the paper and the urn on her desk. When she looked up she saw Palmer hanging around her door. "Who are you?" Prue demanded with narrowed eyes.

"You must be Prue, Phoebe's sister." Palmer stated, taking several steps toward her.

"Same question, who are you?" Prue countered, her patience running thin at the moment.

Palmer raised his eyebrows pointedly. "Me? I'm a friend of Clay's." He explained as if it was obvious. His eyes flickered to land on the urn that was on her desk. "Why didn't you sell that urn? You were supposed to sell it." Palmer continued harshly.

Prue's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I think that you had better leave."

"No, don't you understand. You have to sell it before the curse…" Palmer began.

"The curse? What curse?" Prue interrupted, suddenly more interested than she had been before.

"The urn. It's cursed." Palmer warned. "Never mind, forget it; I'll get rid of it myself." He decided, advancing towards Prue's desk with full intentions of taking the urn with him.

As he approached Prue narrowed her eyes at the urn, using her power to push it along the desk. Prue feigned fear, jumping backwards and gasping loudly. "Oh my god, it is cursed!" She exclaimed, causing Palmer to halt.

"Oh no." Palmer breathed, not taking his eyes off the urn.

Prue focused again and the urn moved back towards her. "What's going on?" She asked desperately, turning wide blue eyes to Palmer.

Palmer shook his head and stepped back. "The curse, it's happening. It's too late. I've gotta get out of here." He turned directions and ran out of Prue's office.

Prue watched him leave before dropping her act and turning curious eyes on the mysterious urn.

~PO4~

The Street

Phoebe and Piper walked down the sidewalk on the way to Quake for Piper's shift. "So do you believe in giving people second chances?" Phoebe asked, linking arms with her elder sister.

"Absolutely. It's probably why I want to help out Doug so much." Piper answered almost immediately.

Phoebe nodded to herself having expected that response from Piper. "Okay, well, Clay says he can change and I want to believe him, but…"

"… But you're afraid of getting hurt, that's totally understandable." Piper finished her thought for her.

"So I keep my distance and then what? Hope that I am wrong?" Phoebe wondered with a sigh of confusion.

Piper was silent a moment as she thought over the question. "Well, you could be. That premonition of yours was definitely the future." She decided thoughtfully.

Phoebe smiled faintly and offered Piper a playful glare at the teasing comment. "Yeah, but the problem is I keep thinking about the past. When I moved to New York, I was so angry…" She began but caught sight of Piper's knowing look. 

"Alright, I was scared." Phoebe corrected with a soft laugh. "And then I met Clay and he helped me out a lot and he was really good to me in a time in my life when nobody else was…" Piper glared at Phoebe and she hastily apologized. "I'm sorry, you know what I mean. I didn't mean it like   
that."

"Alright, that's fine." Piper let it drop before pressing for more details. "So why did you leave him?" She asked curiously.

"Well, he kept living beyond his needs. He never thought of the future." Phoebe explained and then smiled as she quoted what Prue had often said about her. "Yeah, I know that sounds familiar." She laughed and Piper readily joined in. 

"Anyways, let's just say he took one too many shortcuts. Got involved with some bad people, got in over his head, way over his head and finally I just couldn't take it anymore, I had to leave." Phoebe finished.

"And so now he's back hoping to be the man you fell in love originally." Piper guessed.

Phoebe nodded dramatically, unlinking arms to take her elder sister's hands. "Yeah, so what do I do?" She pleaded. "What if he's the one? Like you say Doug and Shelley are. Do I just walk away?"

Piper frowned slightly. "No, but…"

"We can't live together forever. What, do we expect to sixty years old and still be sharing clothes and a cat?" Phoebe continued sarcastically.

"Well, now that you put it that way. No!" Piper laughed with a roll of her eyes. "I don't want to live with you anymore." Piper led the way into Quake to find the bar crowded with people watching Doug as he shook a cocktail shaker and did a confident spin on the spot. "Oh boy." Piper muttered with wide eyes as all the women around the bar swooned.

Phoebe's eyes widened at the scene. "I thought your charm was to boost his confidence. Not turn him into Tom Cruise." She pointed out teasingly.

Piper bit her lip nervously. "Maybe I shouldn't of doubled the recipe."

"Uh, yeah." Phoebe replied as if it should have been obvious.

Piper led the way up to an empty space at the bar and waved for Doug's attention. "Doug." She called and the bartender strolled over and leaned against the bar toward her.

"What's going on?" Piper asked.

Doug shrugged, dropping the cocktail shaker on the bar next to him. "Not sure, but whatever it is, I feel great." He answered cheerfully. As he spoke, Shelley walked up to the bar with several drinks on the tray in her hands. Doug glanced over at her, grabbed one of the drinks and slid it down the bar to one of the women.

"Thanks, Doug." The woman swooned.

Shelley frowned at Doug's new attitude and left.

Piper's jaw dropped. "Oh my… Uh, Doug, what about Shelley?" She reminded him, her eyes flickering toward the departing waitress.

"Who cares about Shelley when I've got Thursday, Friday, and Saturday all lined up and waiting?" Doug replied before turning his attention to Phoebe. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure."

"I don't believe you will. Off limits." Piper snapped while Phoebe laughed at the more complicated situation.

Doug threw his hands up in a sign of peace and backed away, going back to work.

"Your charm worked." Phoebe offered as Piper sighed in frustration. "You turned Doug into a…"

"A monster." Piper finished irritably.

"Mmm hmmm…" Phoebe agreed before glancing down at her watch. "Oh, I gotta go, I told Clay I'd meet him over at the house." She announced giving Piper a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodbye."

Piper watched Phoebe leave, but a swirl of bright lights from under a closed door to one of the storage rooms caught her attention. Moments later, Paige and Alex stepped out, Alex closing the door behind them while Piper advanced quickly on her youngest sister. "Are you out of your mind?" She hissed.

Paige smiled innocently. "No, I checked to make sure it was empty, first." She defended herself. She opened her mouth to continue her thought, but was side-tracked by Doug's behavior. "What happened to him?"

"I put a charm on Doug to boost his confidence and it backfired." Piper sighed, dropping her head onto Paige's shoulder. Paige tried to keep from laughing and gave her big sister a hug. Piper looked up and saw Alex. "Hey, it's been awhile." 

Piper commented a little surprised to see Alex.

Alex, who had been watching Doug curiously, was broken from his reverie by Piper. "Hey, Piper. How's the restaurant?"

"The restaurant… it's great. My bartenders on the other hand, need some help." Piper admitted before pointing over to an empty table. "You two can take that table. I'll send someone over."

"Thanks, Sis. Hang in there." Paige ordered lightly, grabbing Alex's hand and leading him to the table Piper had pointed out.

Piper watched them leave and then turned back toward Doug. She shook her head and hit the nearby wall in frustration.

~PO4~

The Ashcroft Hotel

Palmer raced into his hotel room, slamming the door closed behind him. In his haste, he failed to notice the Egyptian picture on the door of his temporary room. It began to glow golden before it turned to golden dust and swirled to form the Guardian of the Urn. He didn't notice at first as he threw clothes into his suitcase.

The Guardian of the Urn took a step toward him. "Leaving?" She guessed.

Palmer spun around in surprise, holding a pair of pants in his hand. "How'd you get here?" Palmer demanded, clutching the clothes in his hand.

"I came with your friend. I waited for your fear to consume you." The Guardian explained. She took another step toward him. "Where's the urn?" She asked.

Palmer fell back on his bed as she approached him. "It's at the Buckland auction house. I tried to get it back. I was gonna return it, I swear. I tried to make things right, please."

He pleaded desperately as she touched a broach on her clothing. "I'm sorry. No. No. No!" Palmer shouted.

A scorpion appeared in the Guardian's hand and she placed it on him. "You are being punished for your greed." She watched as the scorpion stung Palmer and he fell back in his bed, dead.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe was in her room looking through her closet for a dress to wear while Clay watched from where he sat on Phoebe's bed. "So the band goes on at 10:00 but if we get there before 9:00 there's no cover. You interested?" Phoebe asked over her shoulder, pulling a dress from her closet and turning just slightly to look at Clay.

Clay narrowed his eyes in false offense. "In anything that involves you." He replied.

Phoebe's eyes narrowed playfully before she held up two different dresses. "Okay." Phoebe allowed, obviously expecting for him to choose one.

Clay nodded in the direction of his favorite and Phoebe tossed it to the side, choosing the other one. Clay looked disappointed while Phoebe started laughing. Clay eventually joined in. "Déjà…"

"… Vu." Phoebe finished, still laughing.

Clay sighed looking wistful. "I miss this. The day-to-day of us."

"Yeah, me too." Phoebe admitted, placing her chosen dress on the nearby chair, her eyes never leaving Clay. After a moment of silence she spoke again. "Okay, well, I'm going to change now." She announced pointedly.

"Okay." Clay replied, not catching on until Phoebe's eyes flickered to the door. "Oh, you want me to leave." He realized.

Phoebe nodded in response. "Yes, kinda a loaded question, but, uh, yeah, I think that-that would be best." Phoebe decided softly.

Clay rolled his eyes at her modesty. "Phoebe, we did live together. It's not like I hadn't…"

"Yeah, I-I-I know." Phoebe interrupted. "But things have changed." She reiterated.

Clay smiled and reached out for her hands. "Come here. Come sit down." He suggested, pulling her down beside him on the edge of her bed.

Phoebe tensed, having an idea where this was heading. "We're very different." She tried again.

"Do we have to be?" Clay asked, pushing Phoebe's hair away from her neck and kissing her.

Phoebe gasped softly, desperately trying to keep her head. "Uh, well, you know, when you, uh…" She trailed off uncertainly. "Okay, stop, stop." Phoebe ordered, relieved when

Clay pulled away. Her relief was short-lived, followed swiftly by longing and disappointment. "Okay, go, go." She allowed, waving her arm prompting continuance. "What am I doing?" Phoebe whispered to herself as Clay went back to kissing her neck. She quickly pulled away from him and turned so that she was facing him. "Okay, you know this isn't fair because I love it when you…" Phoebe didn't finish her sentence as Clay leaned in and kissed her on the lips. His arms wrapped around her and Phoebe fell back on her bed next to him, never breaking the kiss.

~PO4~

Paige was in the Conservatory with the Book of Shadows open in her lap and was writing on a piece of paper about Hunters when Prue rushed into the house. Paige jumped, accidently orbing out, at the loud entrance. She orbed back in-in the same spot and was ready to slam the book shut when Prue stopped just inside the door of the Conservatory.

"Jeez, Prue. You nearly gave me a heart attack." Paige muttered with a scolding tone.

Prue ignored Paige's comment, clutching the appraisal paper tightly in her hand. "Where's Phoebe?" She demanded.

Paige looked back down at the book to continue writing. "In her room." Paige answered and then tensed upon hearing Prue leave toward the stairs. "Uh, Knock." She called after her eldest sister, biting her lip slightly when Prue didn't respond.

~PO4~

Prue charged through Phoebe's door. "Phoebe, we need to talk…" She began angrily but trailed off as she saw Phoebe and Clay in bed together.

Phoebe broke the passionate kiss with Clay and looked up at Prue, shooting daggers at her eldest sister. "Yes, we do." She agreed sharply.

Prue frowned in disgust before hastily turning and leaving Phoebe's room.

~PO4~

"You know you don't have to leave." Phoebe started. She was standing at the door in front Clay while Prue and Paige were farther back in the Foyer watching.

Clay glanced over at Phoebe's sisters, Prue in particular. "Yeah, I think I should." He whispered, leaning down to kiss her. They pulled apart almost immediately as Piper showed up on the doorstep.

Piper's eyes flickered curiously from the two groups of people, noting the tension between them. She forced a smile for Clay as he moved to the side to allow her to step inside.

Piper casually stopped between Prue and Paige.

"Nice timing, Piper." Paige spoke out of the corner of her mouth so as not to gain Phoebe's attention.

"Yeah, another minute and World War III would have begun." Piper agreed, looking at Paige, though she linked arms with Prue. "Nice one, Prue." She teased.

Prue glared at Piper. "How was I supposed to know?" She snapped in a whisper.

Paige opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by the front door closing behind Clay and Phoebe turning to face her sisters. "I hope you liked the show." Phoebe began, her voice harsh with anger.

Prue looked up at Phoebe apologetically. "Phoebe, I am so sorry. I had no idea."

"What? That is was my room that you barged into? I had more privacy when I lived in New York, a tiny island crawling with eight million people." Phoebe ranted.

"And at least one thief." Prue replied.

Phoebe glared, taking offense at the comment though she didn't know exactly who Prue was talking about. Piper sighed and looked away while Paige bit her lip, tensing for the expected fight. "I'm sorry, excuse me?" Phoebe prompted when no one said anything.

Prue slowly advanced toward Phoebe, pulling the appraisal sheet out for her younger sister to see. "My new boss handed this to me, thankfully just before the urn could be sold."

She explained as Phoebe took the paper from Prue and skimmed over it.

Piper stayed next to Prue while Paige walked around to look over Phoebe's shoulder at the sheet.

"Clay didn't buy it at some outdoor bazaar, Phoebe. He stole it." Prue continued.

Phoebe looked away from the paper and stared defiantly at her eldest sister. "This can't be right." She decided.

"Phoebe…" Piper began with a hint of annoyance in her voice but Paige cast her a warning glare.

"It looks pretty legit, Pheebs." Paige pointed out mildly.

"Seasons change, people don't." Prue added softly.

Phoebe's eyes flashed in anger. "I changed. Do you remember what you thought of me before I walked back through that door?"

"That's different." Prue countered.

"How is that different?" Phoebe demanded.

"You're my sister." Prue whispered.

Phoebe sighed and looked back down at the paper. "Well, there's gotta be some mistake." Phoebe reiterated defiantly.

Prue took another hesitant step forward. "It gets worse." She added while Phoebe waved her hand to continue. "If the background information is accurate, there's a curse attached to the urn. Whoever steals it ends up dead, a victim of the Guardian of the Urn and she feeds off their greed."

"Oh great." Paige muttered under her breath, this time receiving a warning glare from Piper.

Phoebe ignored Paige's comment. "Okay, well, even if that is true, Clay could've never known about it. Otherwise he wouldn't have brought it here." She insisted.

"Are you sure, Pheebs? You wouldn't be the first Halliwell to misjudge a guy." Piper pointed out gently.

"No, it's not about judging, it's about knowing and I know Clay." Phoebe argued.

"And I know what Clay has done. Okay, he put my job in jeopardy, he lied to me. Phoebe, he lied to you." Prue reminded her younger sister desperately.

Phoebe rolled her eyes, dropping her head in her hand for a moment. "You don't know that."

Paige took a step forward. "Look, Pheebs…"

"No, okay, I'm not saying that he's perfect, alright? And even if he is foolish enough to risk his own life, he would never risk mine." Phoebe snapped, walking away back up the stairs.

Prue, Piper, and Paige were left in the Foyer to watch her leave.

~PO4~

The Ashcroft Hotel

Investigating officers were searching through Palmer's room. The coroner for the case was determining the cause of death as best he could with his limited resources. He looked closely at the sting on Palmer's swollen neck. Andy was to his left, watching.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say this was a scorpion sting." The coroner announced, looking up at Andy.

Andy appeared disbelieving. "A scorpion sting in San Francisco?" He asked sarcastically, leaning forward to take a look himself. Scorpions were for other parts of the country or other parts of the world, not San Francisco.

The coroner nodded in agreement. "I know, but that's what it looks like." The coroner insisted.

"Any chance he was killed somewhere else and then moved here?" Andy wondered curiously.

The coroner shook his head. "No, the lividity is consistent with where he was found."

Andy glanced around the room with narrowed eyes. "Well, I'd buy this place has roaches. I'm not sure about scorpions." Andy joked before looking down at Palmer's body.

"Anything else?"

"I found someone's business card in his pocket." The coroner answered, picking up the card and reading it. "Bucklands auction house." He read and Andy threw his hand up to stop him.

"Ah-ah-ah. Let me guess, Prue Halliwell?" Andy suggested with a faint smile.

The coroner looked surprised. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

Andy chuckled and took the card from the coroner. "I'm cursed." He quipped, putting the card in his pocket. "Let me know when you get the report back on the sting." He added, going out into the hallway. As he walked out he bumped into Clay as Clay was coming in to see Palmer. "Excuse me." Andy apologized, going on his way.

Clay stopped just outside of Palmer's door and looked in to find the officers zipping Palmer's body in a body bag. "Palmer?" He breathed.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

The Egyptian picture returned to its place on the urn just as Prue and Claire walked into Prue's office.

"Lot 49- $2600, Lot 50- $15000, Lot 51- Excluded." Claire called, following Prue as Prue punched in the numbers in the calculator she held. Claire trailed off as she caught sight of the urn on Prue's desk. "Shouldn't that be turned in to proper authorities?" She asked pointedly.

Prue stopped nervously behind her desk, eyeing the urn. "I'm contacting customs as soon as we're finished here." She explained. "Look, again, I just want to assure you that I didn't have anything to do with…"

"Just handle it." Claire interrupted, clearly not wanting to deal with the situation. "How'd we do?" She wondered, changing the subject.

Prue looked down at the calculator and smiled triumphantly. "$1.28 million. We did it." Prue announced excitedly after reading the numbers that the calculator showed.

"The auction house lives to see another day. Congratulations." Claire offered, shaking hands formally with Prue. "Good work." She added, turning and leaving Prue's office.

"Thanks." Prue appreciated while hitting the calculator against the palm of her hand in thought. Her blue eyes flickered to the urn and noticed the picture. Prue's eyes narrowed and she tilted the urn for a better look, just as Andy came in.

"Hey." Andy greeted, casually stopping just in front of Prue's desk.

Prue's head snapped up in surprise. "Andy, hi. Here to arrest me again?" She asked jokingly.

Andy acted as if he was thinking it over for a moment. "Mmm… not this time." Andy finally answered and Prue nodded gratefully. He glanced down at the urn and his eyes focused on a small golden scorpion on it. "A scorpion. Why am I not surprised?"

Prue tilted her head to the side questioningly. "I'm afraid I don't…"

"A young man died last night of a scorpion sting. Palmer Kellogg, you know him?" Andy questioned.

Prue thought the name over for a moment. "I don't believe I do." She replied with a shrug.

Andy smiled and pulled out Prue's business card from his pocket. "Well, he obviously knew you. I found your card on his body." Andy continued, taking another step toward her.

Prue returned the smile. "We did just have an auction. I met a lot of people." She countered lightly.

Andy nodded, her explanation making sense. "Well, I'll bring a photo by later, see if it jogs anything." He decided.

"That's fine." Prue allowed.

Andy turned to leave, but hesitated and turned back to face Prue. "Prue, listen, just because we're not dating anymore, I want you to know I still care about you. So if you're ever in a jam or you ever need anything, just know you can always call me."

Prue was silent a moment, a little surprised by the unexpected declaration. "I know that, thanks." Prue whispered gratefully, sighing softly to herself as she watched Andy leave.

~PO4~

The Ashcroft Hotel

Clay ran into his room and immediately began to throw clothes into his bag that lay on his bed. He looked up nervously upon hearing a continuous knock on his door.

"Clay, are you in there?" Phoebe's voice carried through the door and the banging continued.

Clay froze against his bed for a moment. "Phoebe?" He finally asked, turning toward the door. It only took a couple steps to cross the room and pull the door open, revealing Phoebe on the other side.

Phoebe's eyes were narrowed dangerously, one hand clutched the purse on her arm while the other hand was clenched against her side. "You stole the urn, didn't you?" She guessed harshly.

"Why don't you, uh, come inside?" Clay suggested, pushing the door farther open and inviting her in.

Phoebe immediately declined. "No, I'm not going anywhere until you answer the question." She returned sharply.

"Okay, yes." Clay answered, waving his hand in another invitation to come inside.

Phoebe sighed and stalked inside, her eyes caught sight of the open bag on his bed with the clothes scattered around it. The pieces clicked and she turned back to face Clay. "Were you planning on saying goodbye before you skipped town?" Phoebe snapped.

Clay closed the door behind them and ignored her question. "Palmer's dead, Phoebe."

"What?" Phoebe questioned, her voice softer with a hint of sympathy. She tilted her head to the side quizzically.

"He died from a scorpion sting. I called Wesley to tell him, that's when his parents tell me he's dead too. Spider bites." Clay explained hastily. "I don't know how, I don't know why, but I know one thing, I'm not gonna stick around…"

Phoebe rolled her eyes and threw her hands in the air dramatically. "You are such a liar." She yelled.

Clay appeared taken aback by her attitude. "Phoebe, I'm not lying." He insisted, defensive in his surprise.

"You knew the urn was cursed when you stole you, you knew the legend." Phoebe accused.

"What are you talking about? What legend?" Clay demanded in confusion.

"Are you telling me that you didn't know that whoever steals the urn dies?" Phoebe replied.

Clay glanced away in thought. "Palmer, Wesley…" He breathed in realization. His worry-filled eyes flickered back up to Phoebe's. "Phoebe, I swear, I knew nothing about it."

Phoebe laughed humorlessly. "Yeah, right." She responded, the sarcasm evident her voice. She stalked past Clay, heading for the door.

"Come on, Phoebe, you have to believe me." Clay called after her.

Phoebe spun around just inside the door. "No, I don't. You are a liar, Clay, you'll never change. You'll always look for the easy way out." Phoebe disappeared into the hallway, leaving Clay to stare after her in silence.

~PO4~

Quake

Doug carefully placed glasses up on the shelves as Piper supervised from the bar. Paige was sitting to Piper's right, using the phone. Papers were scattered all around her.

"Yes, Julie, hi, this is Paige." Paige spoke into the phone, flipping through her papers until she came across the one she was looking for. "I have a family of three. A single mother, two boys. Can you squeeze in an appointment for them?" 

There was silence as Julie replied. "1:00? That's perfect, thanks." Paige finished, hanging up triumphantly. She grabbed a pen that Piper was handing to her and scribbled the appointment time and place on a sheet.

Piper glanced over at her youngest sister curiously. "Good news?" She guessed.

Paige nodded without looking up from her papers. "Yeah, pulled a few strings and got them into a conference, got the kids back into school on a regular basis, helped the mom find a stable job with a good health insurance plan, and set up a restraining order against the kids' abusive father. Not bad for a day's work if I do say so myself." Paige announced cheerfully.

"You've been working on that for more than a day, Missy Paige." Piper pointed out, rolling her eyes and playfully elbowing Paige in the side.

Paige sent her a mock glare in response. "You get the idea." She countered. Both sisters looked up to the sound of breaking glass as Doug dropped one of the glasses. They followed his gaze to where Shelley was passing by. "Poor guy." Paige murmured.

Doug turned back to face Piper nervously. "Sorry. Uh, I'll go get the broom." He apologized receiving a nod of agreement from Piper

"Good idea." Piper allowed, sighing softly as Doug left.

"I see you reversed the spell." Phoebe commented, causing Piper and Paige to jump slightly in surprise upon seeing their sister. Phoebe slid into the chair next to Paige and dropped her head into her hands.

Piper sighed again, louder this time. "Yeah, and I've been given until tomorrow to fire him."

"Poor guy." Paige repeated her eyes flickering sympathetically from Doug back to Phoebe. "You okay?" She wondered in concern.

Phoebe shrugged uncertainly. Her eyes followed Doug's retreating form thoughtfully. "Maybe Prue was right. Maybe they just don't belong together. Seems like the theme of the day." She half-explained in frustration.

"Oh, Clay?" Piper guessed, frowning in concern.

"Uh huh. He totally used me. He just used me to get to Prue." Phoebe whispered with a shake of her head.

Paige reached out and pulled Phoebe into a hug while Piper gently took Phoebe's hand. "I'm sorry." Piper apologized.

"Me too though he wasn't good enough for you." Paige added in a mumble, still not releasing her older sister.

Phoebe laughed softly and unwound herself from Paige's arms. "Thanks for not saying 'I told you so.'" Her sisters smiled in reply and Phoebe dropped her head into her hands again. "Why didn't I see this coming? What am I? A sucker for punishment?" She ranted.

"No, you see the good in people." Piper spoke up immediately, cutting Phoebe's rant short. "And that is never wrong."

"Besides, the wrong guys are usually the most interesting." Paige added raising her eyebrows pointedly and smirking at the statement.

"Until you get your hopes up and let your guard down and they reveal their true selves." Piper finished with a hint of irritation in her voice.

Phoebe nodded in agreement with a little laugh at her sisters' comments. "So true." She agreed.

Piper glanced over at where Doug had disappeared. "I mean, look at Doug. Great guy, kinda boring on the surface, easy to overlook, but maybe in the long run we're better off with his type."

Phoebe frowned though appeared thoughtful. "Maybe in the way long run." She joked.

"Ooh, poor guy." Paige remarked for a third time, shaking her head slightly.

Phoebe allowed a small smile at Paige. "I think I'm still looking for adventure." Phoebe continued with her former train of thought.

"Me too." Paige agreed.

"Then you risk paying the price." Piper replied with a shrug.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige looked up at the sound of a crash from the room where Doug had disappeared. Doug came visible for a moment holding a broom and dustpan in his hand. "I got it." Doug called and the three sisters giggled.

"Maybe it's a price worth paying." Piper decided lightly.

Phoebe sighed loudly with another glance back at Doug. "I just don't know anymore." She admitted, sliding out of her seat. "Thanks for the ear." She appreciated, giving Piper a kiss on the cheek. "Both of you." Phoebe added, hugging Paige and kissing her lightly on the cheek as well.

"Anytime, Sis." Paige whispered, returning the hug. Both Piper and Paige returned to the papers in front of them as Phoebe left, heading back to the Manor. "Doug isn't so bad I don't suppose." Paige offered cheerfully, causing Piper to giggle as they each took up their pens.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe looked up from the TV as the doorbell rang through the silent house. She pushed herself to her feet and hesitantly made her way to the front door, unsure if whether she should open the door to him or not. After several moments of silent debate she pulled the door open and waited expectantly for Clay to say something.

Clay watched her in guilty silence before realizing Phoebe wasn't going to start the conversation. "Can I come in?" Clay asked hopefully.

"No." Phoebe replied shortly.

Clay sighed and thought over what he was going to say again. "Look, I may have lied about buying the urn, but I swear I didn't know it was cursed."

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Well, that still makes you a thief now, doesn't it?" Phoebe countered, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Well, that's why I'm here. I wanna make things right. I wanna turn myself into the police." Clay explained only to receive another eye roll from Phoebe. "I mean it, Phoebe, honest. It's the only way I can redeem myself with you." He insisted.

"And how do I know this isn't just one of your scams?" Phoebe countered, her voice showing her disbelief.

In response, Clay just shrugged. "Well, I guess you don't, but I don't wanna take shortcuts anymore. I wanna take the urn with me to the police. There's no way Prue's just gonna give it to me, not without you there. I need your help. It's the last favor I'll ever ask, I promise." He pleaded.

Phoebe glanced down at her hands internally debating. Finally she looked back up at him. "I don't think so."

"Please." Clay whispered, reaching out and touching her arm gently.

Phoebe jerked as she was pulled into a premonition.

Clay was standing in Prue's office at Bucklands. A snake was in front of him preparing to strike.

"The curse…" Phoebe breathed as the premonition ended. She eyed Clay, her eyes dark with worry.

"What?" Clay asked in confusion.

Phoebe ignored him and reached for her jacket that was hanging up next to the door. "Let's go." She ordered, slipping her jacket on and pulling Clay after her.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Phoebe dragged Clay into Prue's office, causing Prue to jump back in surprise at their unexpected entrance. Her eyes landed on Clay and they narrowed dangerously. "Phoebe, what is he doing here?" Prue demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at Clay.

"Save it 'til later." Phoebe returned, bringing Prue's attention away from Clay and her work. "I've seen the future and it's not bright." She continued, her eyes flickering to look at the urn that was still on Prue's desk. "Oh, good, you didn't give the urn to the police.

Prue turned her body to face the urn. "Yeah, no, I thought that it might get you in trouble." She explained, waving a hand in the urn's direction.

Phoebe nodded slightly. "Yeah, well, you know that little legend we were talking about…" Phoebe began. Unnoticed by the sisters and Clay the Egyptian picture on the urn turned to golden dust and swirled to form the Guardian of the Urn. Phoebe's brown eyes widened as she finally saw the Guardian. "… Well, I think it's true…" She trailed off.

Prue spun around to see what Phoebe was looking at while Clay stared at the Guardian in confusion. "What the hell is that?" Clay asked aloud.

"Clay…" Phoebe started, putting a protective arm in front of her sometimes-boyfriend and casually pushing him toward the door.

"Get him outta here!" Prue ordered, stepping forward so that she was in front of Clay and Phoebe.

Phoebe spun around completely and pushed Clay out the door and slammed Prue's office door closed behind him. She quickly turned the lock and ran back up to stand next to Prue, just as the eldest Halliwell narrowed her eyes, sending a telekinetic push at the Guardian.

The guardian fell back a step, but smirked at their attempt. "I don't wanna harm you. I came for the thief." She advanced toward Prue and Phoebe slowly.

"Who are you?" Prue demanded, clutching onto Phoebe's hand as they instinctively linked arms with each other.

"I'm the Guardian of the Urn. You cannot destroy me." The Guardian answered. Another step forward and Prue nervously tried to push the Guardian away from them.

The Guardian was thrown back a couple steps and her eyes narrowed dangerously at the two Halliwell sisters.

Prue bit her lip. "Uh, Phoebe, run." She decided, spinning around and pulling the door open. Phoebe ran out first with Prue just behind.

The Guardian was left in Prue's office. "So now there are more who will die." She remarked, disappearing in the swirl of golden dust.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Prue led the way into the house with Clay just behind her and Phoebe coming through last, shutting the door after them.

"I still don't understand." Clay announced as the two sisters pulled him back into the house. Their whole change in attitude concerning him was very confusing.

Phoebe pushed past Clay. "You stay down here, we'll be right back." She promised to Clay before turning toward Prue, who was heading for the stairs. "You get Piper, I'll get Paige."

Piper was already coming in from the kitchen with her characteristic look of worry on her face. "What's going on?" She asked as Prue grabbed her arm and started to pull her up the stairs.

"Tell you in the attic." Prue replied, taking the stairs two at a time with Piper just behind her.

"Hey, where are you going?" Clay called after Prue and Piper, neither of which responded.

Phoebe, still ignoring a very confused Clay, stuck her head in the Conservatory to find Paige and Alex making out on the couch. She walked into view, causing the two to pull apart in record time. "Ooh, sorry. Very sorry, but Paige we need you… Now. Attic. Sorry, Alex." Phoebe spouted off already heading back to Clay and the stairs. She stopped just in front of Clay, grabbing his hands to bring his attention. "Uh, Piper is really into with legends, Prue is really good with her mind… and Paige… well, Paige is just awesome so…"

"Yeah, but that thing, the guardian… she's not even…" Clay interrupted.

"Human?" Phoebe suggested, cutting Clay short. "Yeah, I know, but she's real and we have to figure out how to stop her before she gets you." She explained cryptically.

Clay narrowed his eyes in concern. "I don't know what you're thinking, Phoebe, but I do not want you getting hurt because of me."

Phoebe smiled softly. "You know, I think I actually believe you." Phoebe whispered just as Paige and Alex came running in. Phoebe turned from the guys and pulled Paige after her, on up the stairs.

~PO4~

Prue and Piper were already flipping through the book when Phoebe and Paige burst through the attic door. "Did you find anything?" Phoebe demanded as Paige shut the attic door behind them.

Neither Prue nor Piper glanced up from the book. "Nothing about Egyptian Urns or greed demons. Zip." Piper replied, sighing and stepping away from the book.

"Well, let's just hope that she didn't follow us here because our powers are useless against her." Prue muttered, crossing her arms across her chest in frustration.

Paige's eyes flickered from one sister to the next in confusion. "Alright, so, I don't really know what's going on but how can our powers not work?"

Piper shrugged in reply. "What are we going to do? That's never happened to us before." She added nervously, turning to Prue for an answer.

"Maybe we're not supposed to protect him." Prue suggested, receiving a glare from Phoebe.

"What are you saying?" Phoebe snapped.

Prue turned slightly so that she was facing Phoebe. "Look, all I'm saying is that maybe there's a reason. Like Piper trying to force Doug and Shelley back together again. Maybe there are just some things that we're not supposed to save."

"No, we are saving Clay, period. There's just gotta be something we're missing." Phoebe insisted, running a hand through her hair in frustration.

Paige appeared thoughtful. "Um, I read something about greed in the book yesterday. The seven deadly sins? Try that page. Maybe it'll give us an idea." Paige suggested with a slight shrug.

Piper looked back down at the book and began flipping through the pages until she found the one on the seven deadly sins. "Okay, here it is. Nothing about the urn obviously, but it does talk about greed being one of the sins."

"Wait a minute, the Guardian punishes the greedy so maybe if Clay does something selfless it'll even the score." Prue thought aloud.

Piper snorted at the thought. "Good luck." She muttered, looking up from the book to find three pairs of eyes staring at her. Prue disapproving, Paige silently laughing, and Phoebe glaring. "Sorry." She apologized, looking down at her hands.

Phoebe spun on her heel and dashed out of the attic without a backward glance. Prue, Piper, and Paige followed her a bit slower. "Clay? Clay, where are you?" Phoebe called as they descended the stairs. She stepped off the last stair and looked around for him. "Clay!"

"I think he left." Piper commented casually.

"Damn it. Alex left too." Paige cursed her luck, receiving a sympathetic pat on the arm from Prue.

Phoebe rolled her eyes at Paige and ignored Piper. "I don't believe it." She whispered, her eyes scouring the area for any sign of Clay.

"Well, sorry, Pheebs." Piper offered with a shrug.

"No, I really don't believe it. He wouldn't just leave like that." Phoebe insisted, her patience with her sisters running thin.

Prue frowned and rolled her eyes slightly. "Do you have a better explanation?" She asked.

Phoebe was pacing in thought. "He was worried about me, he was worried about us. I am telling you…" She began but trailed off in realization. "Wait, my vision, I think I know where he's going. We have to stop him." Phoebe exclaimed, turning back to face her three sisters. She reached out toward Paige. "Orb us to Bucklands." She ordered.

Paige glanced nervously toward Prue, who gave her a slight nod as a 'go-ahead.' They all joined hands and Paige orbed them out into a deserted office.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

The Egyptian picture disappeared into golden dust which swirled to form the Guardian of the Urn just as Clay stepped into Prue's office. "I knew you'd come back. Your greed consumes you." The guardian commented. She took several steps forward, twirling a piece of leather in her hands.

"I'm not here for the urn." Clay countered softly.

"You must be punished." The Guardian returned.

Clay nodded in agreement. "I know." He agreed, hesitating only a moment before continuing. "When you're done with me, that's it, right? You're not gonna hurt anybody else?" He questioned casually.

"Not until somebody steals the urn again." The Guardian replied.

"How do you know anybody will?" Clay wondered.

The Guardian of the Urn smiled slightly. "Somebody always does." The piece of leather in her hands glowed golden and she tossed it to the ground in front of Clay. The leather swirled and a snake appeared in its place.

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige ran into Prue's open office as the snake reared up, preparing to strike at Clay.

"Clay!" Phoebe yelled, grabbing hold of Clay from behind.

Clay threw his arm back, gently breaking Phoebe's grip on him. "No, Phoebe, stay back." Clay ordered, not taking his eyes off the snake.

Paige reached out to help grab Phoebe and Clay, but Piper grabbed hold of her and pulled her back behind her and Prue. Prue made a grab for Phoebe, but Phoebe jerked Clay back several steps and was no longer in reaching range of her eldest sister.

"Phoebe, look out!" Prue screamed as Piper held her back.

The snake struck at Phoebe and Clay threw his arm out to block the bite. The snake disappeared right before hitting Clay's arm. Clay's eyes flickered to look up at the Guardian of the Urn in stunned silence.

Phoebe was still clutching onto Clay's arm. "A selfless act… just like Prue said." She whispered.

The Guardian of the Urn watched them for a moment before disappearing in the swirl of golden dust. The Egyptian picture reappeared on the side of the urn and the urn faded and disappeared from Prue's desk back to its rightful place.

Piper's mouth dropped in surprise. "Where'd it go?" She demanded, her arm wrapped tightly around Prue's and her head resting on her eldest sister's shoulder.

Prue shrugged lightly. "Who cares, as long as it's not here."

"Agreed." Paige squeaked, her eyes wide at the empty place on the desk.

Clay finally regained his composure enough to turn to face Phoebe. "Are you okay?" He asked gently.

Phoebe let out a breath that she didn't know she'd been holding and her hand flew to her heart. "Am I okay?" She repeated in disbelief. She glanced at her sisters pointedly and pulled Clay into a tight hug. "Who says people never change."

~PO4~

Quake

"Good thing we didn't have to end up using our powers to vanquish her, otherwise Clay would have seen." Piper commented thoughtfully. All four sisters were sitting along the bar with their chosen drinks in front of them.

Prue sighed, nodding slightly. "They didn't work anyway." She reminded them.

"I hate it when that happens." Paige agreed, dropping her head onto her arms.

"Yeah, I hope it never happens again." Phoebe added, her body slightly turned toward the main entrance and her eyes glued to the door as if waiting on someone.

Piper suddenly jumped up from her seat. "Ooh, ooh, forgot about Doug." She hissed, throwing her hands out just as he slipped with a tray of plates. The falling plates froze just in front of Shelley.

Prue raised her eyebrows at the scene and turned slightly to look back at Piper. "This is getting ridiculous." She exclaimed.

"Oh, tell me about it. I bet that engagement ring is still burning a hole in his apron." Piper muttered, dropping her head down on the side of the bar.

Prue glanced thoughtfully back toward Doug before slipping out of her seat and walking toward them.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Paige wondered, tilting her head to the side quizzically.

"Solving Piper's problem and keeping her employed." Prue explained, reaching into Doug's apron pocket and pulling out the little black box. She grinned mischievously and sat it down in front of Shelley's feet. Prue nodded in satisfaction and ran back to her seat. "Okay, go." She ordered to Piper. Phoebe and Paige were smiling expectantly as Piper allowed the room to unfreeze and the plates crashed to the ground.

Doug frowned and dropped to his knees in embarrassment. "Sorry." He apologized to Shelley, reaching out for the broken plates.

Shelley looked down and saw the little box on the floor in front of her. "What's that?" She asked curiously, kneeling down to pick up the box. Doug's mouth dropped as she opened it and gasped at the sight of the engagement ring.

"I was carrying that around for weeks trying to find the right time to ask you." Doug admitted as Shelley's eyes flickered to meet his.

"Ask me what?" She questioned hopefully.

Doug slowly stood up. "To, um, marry me."

Shelley's face broke into a wide smile. "But that's why I broke up with you. I got tired of waiting." She whispered.

Doug smiled and pulled Shelley into a tight hug, which was an answer enough to his question.

Prue and Phoebe gave each other fake tears-of-happiness faces, Paige had a dreamy look on her face, and Piper's mouth had dropped in disbelief. "Maybe this would've happened sooner if I'd kept my little Wicca nose out of their business." Piper muttered in irritation.

"I guess you can't change people. They have to change themselves." Phoebe remarked, glancing back at Shelley and Doug with a smile of content.

"Speaking of that… yum." Prue announced, her eyes flickering pointedly to the entrance where Clay had just come through.

Paige's eyebrows rose suggestively. "Ooh."

"Go, baby." Prue teased, pushing Phoebe lightly on the arm.

"Go, girl!" Piper hissed, laughing softly.

Phoebe rolled her eyes good-naturedly and slipped out of her seat partially before turning back to her three sisters. "Alright, I'm going in." She exclaimed dramatically.

"You can do it!" Paige called after her older sister, falling into fits of giggles along with Prue and Piper.

Phoebe ignored their laughter as she approached Clay, stopping in front of him with a wide smile.

"Hey." Clay greeted.

"Hey." Phoebe echoed cheerfully. "I'm glad you stopped by." She added.

Clay reached out and took Phoebe's hands in his. "Any chance you're gonna come back with me?" He asked hopefully.

Phoebe smiled at the invitation but shook her head. "No. This is my home now." Phoebe declined gently.

Clay nodded in understanding. "You know me, had to try." He laughed softly. There was a moment of silence in which they were just content to stay. Clay finally broke the silence.

"I know I lied to you about a lot of things, but one thing I never lied to you about was how much I care about you."

"I know, Clay." Phoebe whispered gratefully with a small smile.

Clay leaned forward and kissed her lightly. "I guess I should be going." He decided, taking a small step back.

"Yeah." Phoebe agreed.

"Um, you know, I hope the next time we cross paths, I'll be the guy you always think you see." Clay responded.

Phoebe sighed and lifted her hand to his face, letting it rest there for several moments. "Goodbye." She eventually replied. Her hand dropped and Clay left, disappearing through the door of the restaurant.

Prue, Piper, and Paige came up behind Phoebe. Prue gently placed her hand on Phoebe's shoulder in a comforting gesture. "Hey, you okay?"

Phoebe nodded, wiping a hand under her eyes. "Oh, yeah, yeah, he was just stopping by on his way home. No big deal." Phoebe explained in an attempt to convince herself as much as her sisters.

Piper frowned sympathetically. "Heard that before." She remarked, moving to Phoebe's other side and encompassing her in a hug. Paige sneaked in between Prue and Phoebe so that she could pull Phoebe into a hug. Prue lightly smacked Paige and moved around to the front where Phoebe gratefully dropped her head on her eldest sister's shoulder, reveling in the ever-present comfort of her sisters.


	23. The Wendigo (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's episode twelve! Uh, not much to say really except thanks for all the reviews and please continue to review. I really take them to heart, now enjoy this chapter

The Wendigo

Outside the Park/ Quake

Piper stood outside her van staring at the flat tire in irritation. She had the phone to her ear and the back of the van open while Paige was trying to fit the jack under the jeep.

"Of course we know what a jack is, Phoebe. I was just calling to tell you that we're going to be a little late." Piper explained, pacing back and forth around her car. Piper bit her lip slightly and turned to face Paige. "You do know how to use it, right?"

Paige rolled her eyes. "Piper, relax. I'm dating a mechanic. Worst case scenario, we call him and have him help us." She answered, through clenched teeth as she kicked the jack under the jeep.

Piper nodded in relief. "Did you hear that, Pheebs? Paige has the situation under control." She assured her younger sister.

"Yeah, I hear you." Phoebe murmured unconvinced.

"Wait, Piper. Where's the handle?" Paige asked as she looked through the back of the van.

Piper looked over in confusion. "A handle? I don't think I got a handle…" She admitted sheepishly. "Butthere's a long wooden spoon in the back." She added hopefully, moving around beside Paige.

~PO4~

Phoebe ran a hand through her hair from where she sat next to Prue at the bar in Quake. "Piper, that's not going to work." Phoebe started with a glance in Prue's direction.

"Mmm… We need to give her a basic car mechanic lessons." Prue agreed with Phoebe's silent remark as she played with the straw of her drink. She looked back behind them as a waitress called her name. "Um, our table's ready." Prue pointed out, giving the waitress a 'give-us-a-minute' gesture.

~PO4~

Piper pulled the long wooden spoon from the back and handed it to a disbelieving Paige. Piper frowned appearing insulted by Prue's comments, both said and unsaid. "Prue, you are driving me insane and I swear if you don't stop I will find a way to block your telepathy." She threatened before turning back to Paige. "Well, what are you waiting for, Paige? Give it a shot." Piper ordered sharply.

Paige gave the spoon one more doubtful look before sticking it in where the handle would go and attempting to use it. In a matter of seconds, the spoon had broken in half. "Uh, it didn't work." Paige announced helpfully.

~PO4~

Phoebe could just hear the conversation between Piper and Paige. "Okay, stay there and we'll come get you." Phoebe offered

~PO4~

Piper shook her head stubbornly. "No, we can do it. We can figure it out." She insisted while Paige stood up from the ground and sat down in the back of Piper's van.

"Piper, you're stranded and you two having nothing to protect yourselves with except a wooden spoon that's broken." Phoebe pointed out in disbelief.

"Paige can orb and I have the power to freeze. We'll be fine, it's better than mace." Piper argued and then heard a beeping on her phone reminding her of the nearly dead battery.

"Look, I gotta go before my battery dies. We're gonna call Paige's boyfriend. We'll meet you there in a little bit." Without waiting for an answer Piper hung up and passed the phone to Paige.

~PO4~

"Piper, wait!" Phoebe ordered, only to hear the phone click as Piper hung up. "Hello?" She called before slamming the phone back in it's cradle and turning to Prue. "She is out of her mind… Both of them."

Prue smiled reassuringly at Phoebe. "Alright, we'll give her fifteen minutes, then call back." Prue suggested.

"Okay." Phoebe agreed, reaching for her drink.

"Okay." Prue echoed, taking hers. "They'll be fine and I know exactly where they are." She added.

~PO4~

Paige now had the phone to her ear as Piper returned to her pacing. "Hey, Alex. I was hoping you could help Piper and me with a flat tire…" Paige began, unaware of the creature lurking in the bushes watching the two sisters.

~PO4~

Prue and Phoebe both slipped out of the bar with their drinks and followed the waitress to their table. "So back to what we were talking about. What do you think?" Phoebe broached the subject once again.

Prue looked uncertain but nodded slightly. "Well, I think it's a good idea." She admitted, biting her lip slightly.

"Great." Phoebe exclaimed, missing Prue's subtle hints against the idea.

"And I think it's a bad idea." Prue continued with a glance toward Phoebe.

Phoebe's smile faded in disappointment. "How? How is it a bad idea?" She wondered. "You need extra help for the auction and I need a job."

Prue sat down in one of the seats around the table and Phoebe sat down across from her. "Well, not only are we family, but we live together and I don't think my wardrobe could take the assault of your daily needs." Prue explained, laying her jacket across the back of her chair and hanging her purse beside it.

Phoebe nodded in understanding. "Okay, but I'm great with phones, better with people and very computer friendly and with a pay check, I could purchase new clothes…." She started while Prue smiled at Phoebe's attempt at persuasion. "… So, by hiring me, you would actually be expanding your wardrobe, not decreasing it." She finished expectantly.

"And I'd be eternally grateful." Phoebe added as an afterthought.

"You really want to work at Bucklands with me?" Prue asked, raising her eyebrows.

"When opportunity knocks, I answer the door." Phoebe answered pointedly.

"The job is very demanding. Auctions can be stressful." Prue reminded her younger sister.

Phoebe nodded. "I love a challenge." She countered.

"They're pretty long hours." Prue continued.

"Overtime is my friend." Phoebe replied and then smiled in realization. "Ooh! Plus, I just thought of something else. With my premonitions I may be able to get you the straight dope without a trip to the office water cooler."

Prue narrowed her eyes in disapproval. "Don't push it." She warned lightly.

Phoebe laughed to show she had been joking. "So, what do you think?" She questioned, holding her breath for the answer.

Prue sighed, unable to find any reason not to hire her. "Can you start tomorrow?" She wondered pleasantly.

"Yes!" Phoebe announced triumphantly. "Hey, can you give me a ride?" Prue's smiled faded a little but she nodded in agreement.

~PO4~

"Hey, Alex, did you hear what I said? We're near the park. Hello? Alex?" Paige asked repeatedly as the phone died. She put the phone down looking frustrated. "That's just great. Now what?"

Piper frowned and glanced around the park for anything remotely helpful. Her eyes stopped on the nearby telephone box. "No problem." She replied, pointing toward it. "I might have a car phone charger in the seat pockets. Check while I go call someone else for help." Piper decided, walking off in the direction of the phone booth.

Paige nodded and jumped inside the car to search for the phone charger just in case her sisters or Alex called them back while Piper hesitantly walked across the grassy field, having second thoughts now that she was alone and the shadows of the night seemed to stretch endlessly. She paused when she heard twigs crack behind her and she turned back slightly. "Paige?" She called cautiously, but with no sign of her baby sister or anything else, shrugged it off and continued for the phone though her steps were larger and quicker. Piper spun around upon hearing more breaking twigs, louder and closer than before. "Okay… you can do this… no need to call Paige or alert Prue… it's fine. You're just  
freaked out 'cause it's dark." Piper murmured under her breath. Despite her own assurances she took off toward the phone booth at a run as she could have sworn she saw a large, hairy creature in the bushes. Piper ran inside the box and slammed the door shut, hastily reaching out for the phone to dial a number. She screamed and dropped the phone as the large creature began hitting the glass, trying to get at her. "Paige!" She screamed as the creature pushed the box over with her inside and the door slid open.

Paige's head snapped up from where she was inside the car, hearing her name called. "Piper…" She breathed, unsure of whether the call was her whitelighter sense or if it was because Piper was in hearing range. Either way the result was the same. She jumped out of the car in time to see the creature push the telephone box over and begin swiping at Piper inside it. "Hey!" She yelled in an attempt to get it's attention. She dashed off toward it and at the same time held her hand out. "Boulder." She called and one of the decorative boulders that sat alongside the fountain near the booth disappeared in orbs. Paige threw her hand out toward the creature and the boulder reappeared, slamming into it.

The creature turned, appearing mostly unfazed by the boulder hitting it, though it effectively turned its attention to Paige. In a few bounds the creature had closed the distance between it and Paige. It threw a swipe at her and Paige orbed out, the creature's hand running through air. She orbed back in, but was left disoriented by the creature's sudden recovery and took a direct back-hand hit, which knocked Paige to the ground. The creature pulled it's hand back for another swipe at a defenseless Paige, but stopped and looked up as a man ran out from the bushes with a flare gun. The man pointed and fired, the flare hitting a nearby tree. The creature took one look at the flaming tree and took off. The man ran toward Paige, but Paige jumped to her feet and pointed toward the telephone box.

"My sister!" Paige yelled and the man changed directions.

He was the first to reach a dazed Piper. "Everything's gonna be okay." He assured her, pulling out his phone.

Paige leaned over the fallen telephone box, her face pale in fear. "Piper?" She demanded a response; her eyes flickered to look at the bloody gashes along Piper's arm.

~PO4~

Bay General Hospital

Prue led the way through the busy hallways of the hospital pulling Phoebe along behind her. The two sisters were practically running toward the receptionist. "Uh, Piper Halliwell and Paige Matthews." Phoebe demanded, pulling back against Prue's leading as Prue almost led them past the receptionist, following Piper's location. "Slow down." Phoebe hissed in her ear. "Normal people can't tell which room their sister is in without asking the receptionist." She continued, receiving a reluctant sigh of agreement from her eldest sister.

Andy looked up upon hearing Phoebe's voice and moved around the receptionist desk to meet them. "Oh, Prue, Phoebe." He greeted.

"Andy, thanks for calling us." Prue immediately appreciated, glancing a little impatiently behind her where she knew Piper was waiting.

"Hey, they're like my sisters too. Piper is in here." Andy pointed to the room Prue had been about to lead them in moments before. Prue and Phoebe turned in that direction, but

Prue hesitated. "Paige went to get a drink for Piper. She's fine. Her boyfriend, uh, Alex is here already and went with her." Andy assured her after reading the silent question in her eyes.

Prue nodded gratefully and dashed off into the room with Phoebe and Andy just behind her.

Piper was sitting on the edge of the bed with a doctor putting a new bandage on her arm. He pulled the old one off and Piper gasped at the sight of all the blood. "Oh my God! That's a lot of blood." Piper exclaimed, feeling a little woozy.

Phoebe's eyes widened at the sight and Prue's mouth dropped before she hastily smiled reassuringly at her younger sister. "Hey, sweetie." She greeted in her 'calm-big-sister' voice.

"Oh my God!" Phoebe echoed Piper's earlier words, effectively earning an elbow in the side from Prue. "Are you okay?" She amended hastily.

Piper nodded nervously, pushing a strand of her hair away from her face. "Yeah, I'm fine." She answered unconvincingly. Piper turned slightly away from them to look at the doctor. "If I pass out and I need a transfusion, I'm AB negative. It's very rare, it could be a problem." Piper rambled as the doctor taped the new bandage to Piper's arm.

"Try not to look at it." Andy suggested with a small smile. "And just so you know, I'm AB neg. too. Plus, I love good food. Perfect donor."

"I hate to best you, Andy, but I'm AB negative and I think sister trumps all." Paige announced, coming into the room with a bottle of water in one hand. Alex was next to her, holding her other hand. Paige pulled away from Alex and skipped up to Piper, handing the water to her older sister. "Here you go, Pipe!"

"You okay?" Prue demanded even though there was no evidence of Paige having been hurt.

Paige nodded and hugged Phoebe, who looked as if she was desperately restraining herself from tackling her baby sister.

Prue appeared relieved and looked back towards the doctor that was finishing up re-dressing Piper's wound. "Uh, so no stitches?" She asked curiously.

The doctor glanced up at Prue. "No, it's not that deep."

"Ow." Piper interrupted as the doctor pressed lightly on her arm.

"Follow up with your doctor in the morning, though. Keep it dry, a little aspirin for the pain. You'll be fine." The doctor explained.

Piper glared at him, still unconvinced. "Easy for you to say." She snapped, trailing off at the warning glance from Prue.

"You're all set, just sign this." The doctor finished, pulling out a clipboard.

Prue reached out to take it from the doctor. "Ooh, I got it." She turned and headed toward the receptionist desk where she would turn them in. Andy followed her with Paige and Alex trailing behind.

Phoebe waited several moments as Piper jumped down from the bed and pulled her older sister into a one-armed hug. "Come here, baby." Phoebe's arm lingered around Piper as the last two Halliwells left the room. "I don't understand, why didn't you just freeze him? And why didn't Paige orb you out?"

"We were separated and I was trapped in a phone booth. My power doesn't work outside the room." Piper answered in a whisper.

"Oh, right." Phoebe realized.

"Oh my God, Billy!" Paige exclaimed, catching sight of the man that had-had the flare gun in the park. The group all turned to look at the youngest Halliwell sister and the man she was pointing at.

Billy smiled slightly and waved at the group. "Hey, how are you?" He asked, his eyes flickering to look between Piper and Paige.

Piper joined Paige, linking arms with her sister. "Billy, yeah, Billy, he saved our lives." She elaborated for her sisters' and family friends' confused looks.

"Yeah, I'm just glad I got there in time." Billy replied sincerely.

Andy looked toward Billy with eyes slightly narrowed. "Yeah, I'd like to talk to you about that. Along with that flare gun that you just happened to show up with."

Billy glanced over at Andy as he placed a cigarette in his mouth and pulled his lighter out.

Alex looked at the sisters and Andy before taking a step forward. "Hey, man, this is a hospital. You can't smoke in here." He reminded Billy while Prue, catching on, ran up and blew the little flame out. Paige giggled and leaned back into Alex's arm which he wrapped around her waist.

"Oh, right." Billy apologized, closing his lighter and putting his cigarette away. "Look, it's no coincidence I was there, Inspector. I heard about the murder last night. The creature…"

"The creature?" Andy interrupted.

Billy nodded. "Yeah, that's right."

"Yes, creature." Piper agreed, turning to face her sisters and Andy.

"Absolutely." Paige added.

From behind Prue, Phoebe, and Andy, another young woman headed toward the group. "Describe it." She called and then stopped in surprise upon seeing Billy. "Billy, what are you doing here?" She wondered aloud.

"Same thing you are. Hunting that thing." Billy explained.

"Um, Paige, Alex, Piper, Prue, Phoebe… Special Agent Fallon of the FBI." Andy introduced them to the newest arrival to their conversation.

Phoebe glanced at Agent Fallon appearing impressed. "Ooh, FBI. Cool."

Piper and Paige exchanged a glance. "Describe it? Uh, okay, big, scary, strong…" Piper began with a shrug.

"Really strong." Paige reiterated. "And fast…"

"Kind of like a cross between a werewolf and Charles Manson." Piper added which Paige readily agreed with.

Agent Fallon was studying Piper and Paige curiously. "Yellow eyes?" She asked.

"Yes." Paige answered slowly, barely repressing a shiver at the scrutinizing look.

"Talon-like hands?" Agent Fallon continued.

Piper nodded. "Uh huh."

Agent Fallon turned to face Andy. "Can I talk to you, Inspector?" She questioned, receiving a slight nod in return. Agent Fallon pushed through Prue and Phoebe and led the way down the hallway with Andy just behind her. "Miss Halliwell and Miss Matthews were the first to survive an attack."

"Unlike that poor guy we found yesterday with his heart ripped out of his chest." Andy commented, crossing his arms and appearing thoughtful.

"Just like the killings in Chicago and New Orleans." Agent Fallon replied.

Andy nodded, not completely convinced. "Yeah, I've sent for the Coroner's reports."

"Why? I think it's pretty obvious this case is out of your jurisdiction, Inspector. On the bright side, you don't want it." Agent Fallon offered.

"Why's that?" Andy questioned, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Agent Fallon shrugged as if it should be obvious. "These witnesses corroborate every other statement. According to their description this perp's not either animal or human." She explained, watching Andy closely for a reaction. "You didn't blink, I was expecting a response." She remarked in slight surprise.

Andy smiled faintly. "Just tell me what I'm looking for." He returned.

"You believe them? That it's not human?" Agent Fallon pressed.

"Let's just say that recent experiences have taught me to keep an open mind." Andy elaborated cryptically.

~PO4~

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were huddled together watching Andy and Agent Fallon with narrowed eyes. Alex still had his arm around Paige and Billy was not far in front of the sisters.

"Hmmm… cozy, aren't they?" Phoebe commented, turning away from Andy and Agent Fallon.

Paige narrowed her eyes suspiciously in Andy and Agent Fallon's direction and didn't notice the following conversation. Phoebe and Piper didn't notice Paige's distance but when Paige looked up she saw Prue's eyes were watching her with an unreadable expression. Paige didn't miss Prue's subtle glance back toward Andy and Agent Fallon. Paige shrugged slightly to the silent question and forced herself to turn away from Andy before Prue could get suspicious of her. She  
turned her attention to Piper and Alex's conversation.

"I called for someone to pick up your jeep and take it to my family's shop. I'll fix the tire and bring it by tomorrow, okay?" Alex was saying.

Piper nodded gratefully. "Yeah, thanks." She appreciated before Alex turned to Paige.

"I've got to go. You going to be okay?" Alex asked, his bright green eyes searching her dark brown ones.

Paige smiled. "Of course, thanks for coming."

"Anytime." Alex assured her. "I'll call you tomorrow." He promised, kissing her softly. His hand lingered on her cheek for a moment before he pulled himself away and turned to Piper. "You be careful too." He told her, giving her a quick hug. "Maybe all of you should start carrying around flare guns." He suggested lightly.

Prue appeared thoughtful. "That might not be a bad idea." She agreed, waving farewell before Alex left down the hallway. Prue turned toward Billy and took a step forward. "So, Billy, how did you know to use a flare gun?" She wondered curiously, Alex having reminded her about it.

Billy looked up from where he was casually leaning against the receptionist desk, flipping through a magazine. "It's afraid of fire." He explained.

Prue tilted her head to the side quizzically. "How'd you figure that out?"

"Because when it attacked us, me and my fiancée, Laura, we were camping at Lake Michigan and I grabbed a log from the fire. It freaked and took off." Billy paused, taking a moment to recompose himself. "But, uh, not before it ripped Laura's heart out. It might as well have taken mine too. I came here to kill it." He admitted and silence fell between him and the four Halliwell sisters.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"If that thing last night wasn't demonic, I don't' know what is." Piper muttered the next morning. She was seated at the kitchen table, flipping through the Book of Shadows for the creature that had attacked them.

Prue walked up to her younger sister and sat a cup of coffee down in front of her. "Yeah, well, it's not your fight, Piper. Just let Andy and that FBI Agent handle it, okay?" She suggested as she made her way to the cabinet to grab a bowl.  
Piper stopped flipping the pages of the book and looked up. "Can't. That thing tried to kill me. Besides, I was meant to be involved in this, I know that. It's no coincidence we got that flat." Piper argued, glancing back down at the book.

Prue started to say something, but was sidetracked by the oatmeal on the stove starting to boil over. She squinted at it and the temperature knob on the stove turned down and the oatmeal stopped boiling. She grabbed the bowl and started to spoon some of the oatmeal into it when Phoebe followed closely by Paige came into the kitchen.

"Nice outfit." Piper allowed when she looked up after hearing Phoebe clear her throat loudly.

"Very corporate." Prue agreed.

Paige smiled triumphantly. "Thank you very much." She exclaimed.

Phoebe sent her a warning glare, obviously having wanted the fact that Paige helped pick it out unknown to older sisters. "Yeah, well, I have to impress my new boss." She explained, heading straight for the coffee. Phoebe ignored Prue and Paige's laughs and glanced back at Piper. "Hey, how's the arm?"

"Itches." Piper admitted, her eyes narrowed at the bandage in irritation.

"Piper, you have got to go to the doctor, okay? It could be infected." Prue insisted, carrying the bowl of oatmeal to Piper and sitting it down in front of her.

"It's not. It's fine." Piper argued stubbornly while she turned another page in the book.

Paige smirked to herself and held her hand out. "Coffee." She called and the coffee that Phoebe had just poured for herself orbed to Paige's open hand.

Phoebe's eyes flashed. "Paige! That was mine."

Paige shrugged innocently and took a sip. She ignored the glares from both Prue and Phoebe and went to sit next to Piper. "You lookin' for the creature?" She wondered, sitting down so that she could look at the pictures as Piper turned them.

Piper nodded absently while Phoebe poured herself a new cup of coffee. All the while muttering to herself about sisters. Phoebe took her coffee and stopped next to Prue behind the table. "Listen, you two, while we're at work…" She trailed off and her eyes widened. "Whoa, head rush…" She murmured, receiving three worried looks from her sisters. "…

While we're at work…" Phoebe repeated, shivering dramatically despite Prue's laughing. "Don't even think about going after that thing." She finally finished.

Prue's smile faded at the thought. "Wait, there's no reason to go after it at all. The only innocent to protect here was Piper and Paige."

"I thought I was going to die last night. I was totally helpless and the only thing I could think about was that I was never going to see you guys again. And then the thing went after Paige and I couldn't do anything to help her either…" Piper began, her voice harsh in anger at herself.

"… Yeah, me too. And then Billy just came out of nowhere. The creature killed the person he loved and he's out there all alone trying to kill it. We can't just do nothing." Paige finished off Piper's train of thought.

Prue and Phoebe exchanged concerned glances. "Just don't do anything unless we're together, okay, promise?" Prue pressed. Prue and Phoebe narrowed their eyes dangerously when neither Piper nor Paige jumped to agree.

"Okay." Piper snapped while Paige nodded a little reluctantly.

Prue stared at them for another moment before turning to Phoebe. "I'll meet you outside."

Phoebe nodded. "I'll be right there." She promised, staying where she was until Prue had disappeared from the kitchen. She immediately dropped her calm façade and dashed forward to Piper and Paige. "Okay, I'm freaking, I'm freaking." She admitted frantically.

"Why are you freaking?" Paige asked.

"Because I convinced Prue to hire me and what if I disappoint her? Or what if I screw up and make her look bad? There's a reason my resume is only three sentences long." Phoebe answered nervously.

Piper rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Stop." She ordered and Phoebe fell silent. "You're one of the smartest people I know, I'm sure you'll do great."

Phoebe smiled hopefully. "You really mean that?"

"Yes, I do." Piper replied, glancing toward Paige.

"Yeah, besides, Prue won't let you mess up. She'll watch out for you." Paige added confidently.

Phoebe's smile widened at her two sisters. "Thank you. That makes me feel so much better." She quickly pulled both her sisters into a hug before following after Prue.

Paige and Piper remained in silence for several moments as Piper flipped through the book. "Um… Piper?" Paige started a little nervously.

Piper looked up curiously. "Yeah?" She prompted.

"Uh, do you think that FBI agent was kinda creepy?" Paige asked, biting her lip slightly.

Piper looked as if she was thinking the question over. "No, not really. Why?"

Paige nervously played with a strand of her hair. "I don't know. I just got this shiver when she was asking us questions. It's just that we were in such a crowded place that I couldn't really pinpoint anything." She explained hesitantly.

"Well, she's hanging around Andy so I expect we'll run into her again. If you get the feeling again, we'll check it out." Piper promised.

"We're just gonna let a potential demon follow Andy around?" Paige asked in disbelief.

Piper glanced up curiously. "Andy stays in crowded places all day so he won't be attacked unless it's at night, which if you're still worried, you can talk to Prue about later. And he's smart, he'll be fine." She offered as assurance. She turned another page in the Book of Shadows, revealing a page titled the Wendigo. "Whoa." Piper murmured, recognizing it immediately as the creature they had run into the night before.

"Looks like you found it." Paige observed, leaning closer to read the page.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue and Phoebe were walking through the store room going over the artifacts for the day's auction. Phoebe had a clipboard in her hand with all the information while Prue wasgoing over again how the auction would work.

"Lot number 102, one lamp. Estimated value $2500 dollars." Phoebe read off the clipboard. Her eyes flickered to look at the lamp in disbelief. "What, it doesn't need light bulbs?"

She joked with a glance at Prue.

Prue laughed softly. "It's a Stickley, an original." Prue explained.

Phoebe nodded dramatically. "Oh, right, a Stickley." She repeated as if that information should have been obvious. She dropped the subject before it became too obvious that she didn't know anything about artifacts. "I still can't believe none of this stuff belongs to anyone." Phoebe commented after a moment.

"Yeah, well, every year the city auctions off unclaimed probate items, asset seizures for revenue." Prue continued, leading Phoebe a bit farther into the store room where the next Lot waited.

"What about the stuff that doesn't sell?" Phoebe asked curiously.

"It gets tossed." Prue answered with a shrug before pointing toward Lot 103. "Um, what is Lot 103?"

Phoebe looked down at the clipboard, quickly finding the information. "Uh, 103, gold bracelet. Estimated value $375 dollars." She replied, watching closely as Prue picked the bracelet up to look at it. "I will take that if no one wants it."

Prue smiled faintly but turned her attention back to the charm on the bracelet. "Note that it's inscribed with the initials 'T' and 'L.'" Prue ordered lightly, sitting the bracelet back down while Phoebe wrote that down on the clipboard. "Alright, that finishes the first grouping. I'm gonna go upstairs to Appraisals and make sure I didn't forget anything. Meet you back at my office?"

"Your mid-morning coffee will be ready and waiting." Phoebe agreed as Prue turned and headed toward the stairs. Phoebe couldn't resist adding "Mmm… I think this is really gonna work with you and me."

Prue turned around looking thoughtful at the comment. "Me too." She allowed, giving her younger sister another smile and turning back for the door.

Phoebe's eyes flickered back to look at the bracelet and she picked it up out of curiosity. As soon as she did she jerked slightly as she was hit with a premonition.

A car was run off the highway, flipping the car down a hill. The car settled and the gold bracelet fell from the car and landed on the ground.

"Prue." Phoebe called immediately.

Prue hesitated with the door halfway open. "Yeah?"

"I just had a vision. Of the past. It was a terrible car accident and this bracelet…" Phoebe started.

"What about it?" Prue interrupted, closing the door again, her eyes narrowed expectantly.

"It was thrown free." Phoebe finished and then sighed as realization sunk in. "Oh man, I bet I'm supposed to figure out who it belongs to." She muttered.

Prue quickly advanced toward Phoebe. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no, not now." She ordered.

Phoebe raised her hands defensively. "I can't help it." Phoebe returned just as Claire came in from the other door.

"Prue, I just wanted to make sure everything was in order for today's auction." Claire called as she approached the two Halliwell sisters.

Prue opened her mouth to answer but Phoebe spoke first. "Wait, the auction is today?" Phoebe asked, still holding the bracelet in her hand.

Prue sent her a warning glance before turning to Claire with wide smile. "Yes, Claire, everything is in order." She assured her boss.

Claire nodded in response. "Terrific. I'll see you later then." She replied. As she turned away she caught sight of the bracelet in Phoebe's hand. Claire reached out and picked it up.

"Ooh, nice. That should sell quickly." She commented, dropping it back down in Phoebe's hand and leaving.

Phoebe watched as Claire departed and turned back toward Prue. "What are we going to do?" She hissed with another glance toward Claire.

~PO4~

Quake

Piper and Paige met Billy at Quake not an hour after finding the page on the Wendigo. Paige insisted that Piper sit down at one of the tables in the uncrowded part of the restaurant. Billy paced around it listening intently to everything the sisters told him while Paige stood next to Piper, leaning against the table.

"It's called a what?" Billy asked after they had gone over the basics with him.

Piper and Paige exchanged a glance. "A Wendigo." Piper answered slowly. "Apparently it looks like a normal person during the day but then it transforms at night." She continued.

"And it eats human hearts." Paige added helpfully, looking a little disgusted by the thought.

Billy narrowed his eyes and turned to face them. "What?"

Piper lightly elbowed Paige in the side receiving a resentful glare from Paige. "According to my information the first Wendigo was a mortal, who betrayed by his lover, cut out her heart and ate it. As soon as he did, his own heart turned to ice and that is how he became this monster." Piper explained.

"Yeah, he must have had some serious issues to work through…" Paige muttered, soft enough that Billy didn't hear her.

Billy appeared thoughtful for a moment before taking several steps toward Piper and Paige. "So what, it like… it takes love away from others. Is that it? Or… then why did it go after you two? Are you in love?" He asked, the question directed to both sisters.

Paige smirked to herself. "Whoa, slow down, I think it's still a little early in the relationship to go that far." She answered and two pairs of eyes swiveled to Piper for an answer.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Uh, no, unfortunately, no. It must be attracted to something else." Piper decided.

"Like maybe beauty?" Billy suggested, his eyes not leaving Piper.

Paige smiled and tilted her head to the side so that she could better see Piper's reaction while Piper blushed and nervously played with her hands under the table.

Billy seemed to realize her embarrassment and jumped to apologize. "I'm sorry. It's just you remind me of my fiancée." He explained softly.

Piper chanced a glance at Paige to find her raising her eyebrows suggestively and her eyes flickering none-too-subtly back at Billy. Piper glared at her little sister and hastily changed the subject. "Um, anyway, from what we've gathered it strikes during the three phases of the full moon."

"So we think it might attack again tonight." Paige continued, looking away from Piper and back at Billy.

Billy slipped into the seat across from Piper, his eyes widening slightly as some of the pieces clicked together. "That's what it did before. Amazing." He realized. "You know, I've been tracking this thing for two months and in one night you guys are PHD's in Wendigo."

The sisters smiled nervously. "Yeah, read more about it." Piper admitted, biting her lip slightly. "Um, we should call Andy… I mean Inspector Trudeau and tell him this." She suggested with a glance toward Paige, who nodded enthusiastically.

"No, uh, Agent Fallon's better…" Billy lightly disagreed.

"Oh, highly doubtful." Paige laughed and then hastily ducked her head in apology as she realized she'd said it out loud.

Billy continued as if he hadn't heard her. "… She's been so great to me ever since Laura… And she's already a believer. I'll tell her."

Piper nodded in agreement and slowly stood up beside Paige as Billy stood up out of his own chair. Piper was suddenly overcome by a wave of dizziness and she instinctively reached out toward Paige. Paige stumbled in surprise and Billy reached out to steady them both. "Whoa… dizzy." Piper murmured, her grip tightening on Paige's arm.

"You okay?" Billy asked, letting go after Paige had steadied herself and Piper.

"Yeah, must have stood up too fast." Piper replied, glancing toward Paige. "Can you go get me some water." She questioned hopefully.

Paige's eyes were narrowed in concern. "Of course… don't go anywhere." She ordered and took off into the kitchen, leaving Piper with Billy.

Piper slowly turned back to face Billy. "Will you call me after you see her, please?"

"Sure." Billy agreed.

"I can help, Billy. I can't tell you how or why, but I just want you to know I can. You're not in this alone." Piper continued.

Billy smiled softly. "I know." With a last smile to her, he made his way back to the front of the restaurant.

Piper watched him leave before turning as the phone began to ring. Ignoring Paige's order of 'don't go anywhere' she walked to the bar and picked the phone up. "Quake." She answered, sitting down in the chair closest the phone.

"Piper, its Andy." Andy replied cheerfully. He was using his work phone and Agent Fallon was sitting in the desk across from his, working on some paperwork. "Just checking in to see how you were doing."

"Oh, Andy, that's sweet." Piper appreciated. "Um, I'm fine, just a little tired." She admitted, twirling a piece of her hair around her finger. She looked up as Paige sat in the seat next to her and passed her a bottle of water.

"Andy?" Paige mouthed.

"Yeah, well, you should be at home relaxing." Andy pointed out in concern.

Piper nodded slightly to Paige's question. "I'm okay." She assured him as Paige held her hand out for the phone. "Uh, Paige wants to talk to you." Without waiting for a response Piper passed the phone to Paige.

"Hey, Andy. Uh, Billy Waters just left to see Agent Fallon. He has more information on the attacks." Paige explained.

"I'll let her know." Andy promised. "Tell Piper to rest up and all of you stay out of dark scary places for awhile will ya'?" He suggested lightly.

Paige smiled and glanced at Piper who nodded, having heard the remainder of the conversation. "Okay." Paige agreed. "Bye."

~PO4~

"Take care." Andy wished and then hung up the office phone before turning to face Agent Fallon. "Billy's on his way to your office. Apparently he has some information regarding the attacks." Andy told her while opening the folder in his hands.

Agent Fallon glanced up, a little surprised. "Really? I guess I better go." She decided, getting to her feet and pulling her papers together. "You seem pretty familiar with the witnesses." Agent Fallon commented.

Andy looked up from reading the file. "Piper and Paige? Yeah, I dated their sister." He admitted.

"Dated? Past tense?" She pressed.

Andy narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "It's a long story, why?"

Agent Fallon shrugged. "Just curious. I wouldn't want a love-sick cop on my hands, especially if that's what the creature's after." She answered, walking around Andy to where her jacket was hanging up.

"What makes you think it is?" Andy questioned.

"You got a better explanation for why it rips the hearts out of its victims?" Agent Fallon countered as she pulled her jacket on.

Andy glanced back down at the file for a moment. "Maybe." He allowed. "I've just gone over the coroner's reports from Chicago, New Orleans, and now local. It turns out all of the victims were AB negative."  
"  
Chosen by blood type? That's a new one." Agent Fallon remarked, taking the files from Andy and looking through them herself.

"And Plus, they're all killed in threes. The night before, the night after, and the night of the full moon. Piper and Paige would have been second and possibly third, only they got away." Andy continued.

Agent Fallon appeared thoughtful at the new revelations. "Well, if you're right, that means the creature will try again tonight."

Andy smiled and turned away toward the coffee machine. "I'm not all together convinced that it's a quote-unquote creature." He began, starting to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"The blood types, the full moon, the stolen hearts, that feels like ritual. And ritual is human." He explained while turning back to face Agent Fallon. "It could just be one sick mind behind these crimes."

"Maybe we'll have a chance to confirm your theory tonight. You and me, stake-out at the park, interested?" She proposed, taking several steps back toward the door.

"I'll bring my flare gun." Andy agreed before taking a sip of his coffee. Agent Fallon smiled one last time at him and left.


	24. The Wendigo (Part 2)

Outside the Federal Building

Billy hastily walked through the parking lot toward the Federal Building, his mind whirling with the new information that the Halliwell sisters had told him. He was so busy focusing on everything that he was supposed to tell Agent Fallon that he passed right by her and didn't notice until she called out to him.

"Billy, looking for me?" Agent Fallon asked as soon as she saw him.

Billy spun around and dashed back toward her. "Yeah, listen, I think I know what that creature is." He explained, wasting no time in getting to the point.

Agent Fallon tilted her head to the side curiously. "Really?" She prompted.

"Yeah, well, Piper and Paige were telling me about it. It's called a Wendigo and it feeds off..." He started but was cut off by Agent Fallon.

"Whoa, hold on, not here." She insisted, looking around at the crowd of people. "The other agents already think I'm a little weird. Why don't I walk you to your car and we'll talk on the way." Agent Fallon suggested.

Billy shrugged and immediately turned toward the parking lot. "Um, it's like this Wendigo attacks people in love or at least people with good hearts…" He tried to explain, struggling with the right words. "It's sort of like an anti-Cupid." He offered.

"How does it know that about its victims?" Agent Fallon wondered as she followed him to his car.

"I don't know, instinct? Maybe it just senses something. Look, I know it can take on human form. Maybe it stalks them first." Billy answered before continuing. "Anyway, I know it's gonna attack tonight, I just know it. Probably in the same park, just like the other cities." Billy paused stopping beside his car and pulling a cigarette out of his pocket.

Agent Fallon watched him closely and nodded in interest. "Interesting." She agreed.

Billy returned the nod as he also pulled a lighter out of his pocket. "Yeah, well, we gotta get there, stake it out, we wait for it to show up so then we can…" Billy trailed off as he flicked the lighter to light his cigarette and the small flame shot up. Agent Fallon instinctively jumped away from the tiny fire and Billy's eyes lit with understanding. "…Kill it." He mumbled, staring narrowed-eyed at Agent Fallon. "Son of a bitch." He cursed.

Before he could react, Agent Fallon's hand shot forward and grabbed him around the neck. Billy struggled a moment, dropping his lighter to the ground before Agent Fallon twisted her hand and broke his neck. She let Billy drop to the ground and slowly turned away from the crime. With no one there to witness, no one would know.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue exited the elevator with some paperwork for the auction. She started for her assistant's office with the papers only to turn around at hearing her younger sister's voice calling her name.

"Prue!" Phoebe called, running up to her older sister with several pieces of paper in her hand. "Check it out, I found out who's car went off the cliff. Franklin Bates. He worked for a big P.I. firm in San Jose." She explained enthusiastically.

Prue glanced at Phoebe curiously. "How did you do that?" She asked, leading the way to her assistant's office with Phoebe at her side.

"Easy, I recognized the road. Coast Highway by Carmel." Phoebe answered triumphantly. "I, also, recognized the car. '65 Lincoln. My first boyfriend, Jimmy, used to drive one just like it." She continued, with a dreamy sigh. She shook her head slightly to get her thoughts back on track. "Anyways, so I got on the web and did some snooping around… which means I tied up your phone line while you were at appraisals…" Phoebe admitted hesitantly as Prue dropped one of the files of paperwork on her assistant's desk.

Prue rolled her eyes good-naturedly and led the way to her office. "Go on." She prompted with a little laugh.

Phoebe smiled in relief before continuing. "I searched the Chronicles database for all articles on car accidents in the area and voila, there it was. February 1989." She exclaimed and then her smile faded as she remembered something else. 

"Um, unfortunately it took me awhile to access it and I sort of forgot to tell you that Claire was looking for you." Phoebe hastily sped up so that she was the first into the office and didn't have to meet her eldest sister's gaze.

"Phoebe!" Prue scolded, her eyes widening at the consequences.

"I'm sorry." Phoebe apologized sincerely. She quickly regained her enthusiasm. "But here's the best part. I called the P.I. Firm he worked for, lied to them and told them I was Andy's partner and they told me what the initials on the bracelet stand for. The 'T' is for Teri and the 'L' is for Lane."

"Should I know the name?" Prue questioned, sitting her papers down on the desk and dropping into her chair.

"Teri Lane was a five year old girl kidnapped by her father. It was the case the detective was working on when he died." Phoebe explained seriously.

Prue picked up the bracelet off her desk and twirled it in her hand thoughtfully. "Soo…" She pressed.

"So, I think that-that bracelet is proof that he found her and I think the mother never got it because he died. Which means, she never found her daughter." Phoebe elaborated her eyes flickering to look at the bracelet in Prue's hands. "We cannot sell that bracelet, Prue. Not until we know for sure." She insisted.

Prue frowned uncertainly. "So, how am I supposed to explain this to Claire? What, psychic provenance?" Prue half-joked.

"Psychic what?" Claire asked, walking into Prue's office just in time to hear the last part of their conversation.

"Claire, hi." Prue greeted forcing a wide smile to deter further questioning.

Claire's eyes settled on the bracelet which she immediately took from Prue's grasp. "I have been looking all over for this bracelet. What's it doing up here?" She questioned suspiciously.

"Um, I had it cleaned." Prue lied, holding her false smile.

Claire glanced over her for a moment before dropping the subject. "Fine. I'll return it downstairs." She decided. "I've already got two buyers interested." She added, taking the bracelet with her as she left.

Phoebe spun back to meet her elder sister. "We cannot let her sell that bracelet, Prue."

Prue bit her lip slightly, not sure what she could do in this scenario.

~PO4~

Quake

Piper was leaning against the bar, rubbing an ice cold water across her forehead trying to cool off. "Piper?" One of the waitresses broke Piper's silent reverie and Piper slowly turned to look toward her. Her eyes landed curiously on the man beside her waitress. Piper sat the drink down on the side of the bar and approached the two.

"Are you the manager?" The man asked as the waitress walked away, getting back to work.

Piper nodded. "Yes." She answered promptly.

The man pulled open his jacket revealing his 'health department' badge. "Laurence Beck. Health department. This is a code inspection. I would like to start with the kitchen." He ordered professionally.

Piper looked momentarily confused as his order slowly sank in. She pointed in the kitchen's direction and waved for him to follow her. "The counters are scrubbed every fifteen minutes; the dishes are washed at 150 degrees Fahrenheit with anti-bacterial dergent-detergent." She spouted off, hastily fixing her mistake.

Laurence's eyes flickered over her in a calculating manner. "Are you ill?" He demanded after taking in her exhaustion, slow reaction, and fever-like symptoms.

"No." Piper lied a bit too quickly. She glanced around for something to blame it on. "No, no, I just, um… I don't know." She admitted with a shrug. "Feel free to have a look around, we have nothing to hide here at Quake."  
Laurence looked unconvinced but let it drop. "Thanks." He offered shortly, leaving to look around the kitchen.

Piper leaned against the counter in the kitchen, starting to feel a little light-headed. She saw the freezer open and rushed to it. Piper didn't see any ice and so grabbed the next best thing… a piece of frozen meat. She laid her head against it and sighed in relief at the cool feel.

"Excuse me, what are you doing with that meat?" Laurence called after turning and seeing Piper.

"Dying." Piper answered before realization hit. "Oh, right." She jerked up and passed the meat to a passing cook. "Chuck that." She ordered, biting her lip slightly as she faced Laurence.

Laurence was watching her with a look of disgust. "I think you had better go home, Miss, before I shut this restaurant down."

Piper frowned at the threat but reluctantly agreed, shutting the door to the freezer behind her.

~PO4~

The Federal Building's Parking Lot

Andy flashed his police mark to one of the police officers on the scene. Investigating officers were collecting evidence when Andy dodged under the yellow crime scene tape. He moved straight toward Billy's body until he heard his name.

"Andy." Agent Fallon waved him over from where she was watching out of the way of the other officers.

Andy glanced back at her. "What happened?" He asked, stopping not far from Billy's body and watching the officers go about their work.

Agent Fallon stopped next to Andy. "I don't know. I came here to meet him and found him there." She lied with a slight shrug.

"How'd he die?" Andy wondered as Billy's body was lifted into a body bag.

"The coroner hasn't said, but it's definitely homicide. Although there's no mutilation, no other physical wounds. Doesn't fit our M.O. I suppose it could be random." Agent Fallon allowed hopefully.

Andy appeared unconvinced. "Chases off a crazed killer last night and succumbs to a mugging today? I don't buy it." He countered with narrow-eyed suspicion.

Agent Fallon watched Andy carefully as he took several steps toward the body bag, turning his back on her. She knew he was getting suspicious and she would have to come up with something closer before he got suspicious of her. "Maybe the creature, or whatever it is, found out Billy had some information on it. Got to him before he could get to me." She suggested casually.

Andy nodded, the theory sounded plausible. "He had been stalking it for two months. It could be the killer knew." Andy allowed.

"Still, if these are ritual murders as you suggest, all the steps have to be followed or the killer doesn't get its 'happy' feeling." She pointed out, stepping up next to Andy again. "So why is the heart still intact?" She wondered.

"Two possibilities. He's not AB negative or it was trying to protect itself from getting found out." Andy replied thoughtfully.

Agent Fallon glanced at Andy, her expression unreadable. "I'd go with that theory personally." She commented, speaking of the latter.

Andy nodded in agreement. "Me too." He turned back to face Agent Fallon. "Let's go talk to Piper and Paige. See if he told them what he wanted to tell you."

"You read my mind, Inspector." Agent Fallon remarked, turning away from the crime and leaving Andy to follow after her.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

"And I have $400. Now $500. $500, $550, $600, $650. At $650. $700 now. $750. Now say $800. $800, gentleman's bid at $800. Anymore at $800?" The auctioneer asked, looking around for any numbers. When no one moved he slammed the wooden hammer on his podium. "Sold $800. Number 143, for the Karastan rug. And the next item is lot 102. A Stickley lamp and bidding will start at $2000. Now say 21, $2300, $2400, $2700…"

Phoebe quickly walked up to Prue, casually ignoring all the looks from everyone. Prue was standing behind all the artifacts, watching as the auction went on. She narrowed her eyes upon finally seeing her sister. "Where have you been? The auction's already started." She scolded in a whisper.

Phoebe ignored her and leaned closer so as not to be overheard. "I think I found the little girl, Teri Lane. I think she's living in Oakland." She explained, looking back at the auctioneer as he slammed his wooden hammer again.  
"Sold. $2900." The auctioneer called.

Phoebe bit her lip and hastily continued. "I contacted the detective's old secretary. She helped me piece it together. She, also, told me that it was the little girl's mother who hired him because the father had abducted Teri."

"And next is lot 103, a gold charm bracelet and bidding will begin at $375." The auctioneer continued causing both Phoebe and Prue to look up nervously.

"You've got to do something. That bracelet might be the only way to convince the mother we know where the little girl is." Phoebe insisted.

Prue shook her head in disbelief. "What am I supposed to do?" She hissed.

Phoebe squinted her eyes, mimicking the way Prue channeled her power. Prue bit her lip and shook her head again. Phoebe repeated the motion with more exaggeration, prompting her to action. Prue sighed in defeat and as the first person raised their number Prue sent a blast of telekinesis, knocking their number to the floor.

"$375? Anyone at $375?" The auctioneer repeated several times.

Several people tried to raise their numbers but each time Prue sent the number to the ground. One man bent down and tried to pick his back up again but Prue sent it flying out of his reach.

The auctioneer was watching the people in confusion. "At $375. Anyone at $375?"

"You go girl." Phoebe encouraged as Prue used her power to knock another number out of a person's hands.

"Very well, $300 then. Anyone at $300? $300." The auctioneer lowered the price. A soft murmur spread through the people as they glanced at each other restlessly. "Last call,

$300." The auctioneer shrugged to Claire. "Very well, we'll move on to Lot 104. The Pewter Flagon."

Phoebe casually walked up and picked the bracelet up as it was dropped back into a jewelry box. "Thank you, thank you." Phoebe appreciated enthusiastically.

"You just better be right." Prue muttered, glancing around them nervously to make sure no one had noticed her power.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper ran down the stairs as she heard the doorbell ring. She pulled open the door and found Andy on the threshold. "Hi, Andy." She greeted cheerfully, pulling the door farther open, silently inviting Andy inside.

"Hi." Andy replied, stepping inside the old house and turning to face Piper.

"What are you doing here?" Piper wondered curiously.

Andy smiled, relieved at her apparent recovery. "Just wanted to see how you're doing." He explained.

Piper nodded in understanding. "I feel great." She assured him.

His eyes landed on Piper's arm as she closed the front door. "Hey, where's your bandage? How'd your wound heal?" Andy asked quizzically.

Piper looked down at her arm nervously, lost for words. "Uh…" She began but trailed off as she turned into a Wendigo. Before Andy could react she grabbed him and threw a hand back, ready to strike.

Piper suddenly shot awake, nearly jumping off the couch where she had been sleeping. She threw the blanket off, breathing hard and wiped a hand across her sweaty forehead.

"Piper?" Paige called gently, trying not to surprise her older sister. She was standing in the doorway to the Conservatory with a worried look on her face.

Piper jumped slightly despite Paige's attempt at not scaring her. "Oh, Paige… When'd you get here?" She wondered, trying to keep her voice together.

Paige took several steps toward Piper. "About thirty minutes ago. I turned in some paperwork at work, I picked up your car from Alex, went out to lunch, and came back. You were already asleep." Paige explained, receiving only a slight nod from Piper. "You were thrashing around and muttering just now… bad dream? Or should I call Prue?"

"No, I'm fine." Piper lied, slowly standing up from the couch. The doorbell caught the attention of the two sistersas it rang loudly through the house.

Paige stared narrow-eyed at Piper for several more moments before turning to answer the door.

"Wait!" Piper hissed, carefully overtaking her younger sister. "Who is it?" She called through the door.

"It's Andy." The person answered and Piper halted mid-step while Paige was watching Piper curiously.

"Andy…" Piper murmured. "Go away." She ordered.

"Sorry?" Andy called in confusion.

Paige looked shocked. "Piper, that's rude." Paige scolded, crossing her arms in disapproval. She passed around her older sister and pulled the door open. "Hey, Andy."

Piper, however, kept mentally replaying her dream and therefore pushed Paige out the door and shut both her and Andy out of the house. "You can't come in, I've got the flu." She lied quickly.

Andy glanced curiously from a surprised Paige to the door that hid Piper. "It's okay. I had a flu shot." He assured her deciding not to try and figure out the sister moments. They always gave him a migraine. "I've gotta talk to you too. It's about Billy." He continued, taking a moment to think over the easiest way to tell Piper and Paige. "He's been killed." Andy finally admitted.

Paige's eyes widened in surprise. "What?" She blurted out.

Piper flung the door open and stared at Andy in disbelief. "That's not possible, he should have been safe. It's not even night." She argued desperately.

"It might not have been whoever attacked you." Andy replied softly.

Paige snorted in disbelief while Piper spoke her own thoughts. "Who else could it have been?" The elder Halliwell questioned.

Andy opened his mouth to speak when Agent Fallon walked up to the threshold. Paige jumped as a cold shiver passed through her. Piper glanced curiously at Paige while Andy narrowed his eyes slightly in a scrutinizing manner.

"Sorry, had to make a call." Agent Fallon apologized to Andy before catching sight of a very sick looking Piper. "Are you okay?" She wondered feigning concern.

Piper sighed and shook her head. "No, I don't feel so good."

Andy's face creased with concern. "Maybe we should come back later. Let you rest up a bit." He suggested, taking a step toward the driveway while sharing a glance with Paige.

Paige silently agreed and went to lead Piper back to the couch when Agent Fallon quickly grabbed her arm. Paige shivered again and narrowed her eyes dangerously as Agent Fallon began to speak.

"Just a few questions, if you don't mind. We were wondering if you two knew what exactly Billy was coming to tell me." Agent Fallon explained and Andy stopped and turned back to face Piper and Paige.

"Uh, just that the creature is called a Wendigo and that it attacks during the full moon." Piper answered, leaning heavily against her younger sister.

Andy's concern deepened the longer the conversation continued. "Yeah, we know that." He reminded Agent Fallon, subtly hinting that they should leave.

"He also said that it looks like a normal person during the day." Piper added half-hopefully.

Agent Fallon's eyes flickered nervously toward Andy. "Really? That's new. Did he have any idea who it might be?"

Paige smirked to herself and spoke up before Piper could. "I don't think he did." She offered, subtly emphasizing 'he' as a clear warning to Agent Fallon.

"Too bad." Agent Fallon replied shortly. Her eyes landed on Piper's arm which was still covered with the bandage. "How's the arm?" She asked.

Piper looked down at her arm and shrugged. "It's fine… well hurts like hell." She admitted.

"May I?" Agent Fallon wondered, reaching out for Piper's injured arm.

"I don't think that will be necessary." Paige snapped dangerously, slapping Agent Fallon's hand away from Piper.

Agent Fallon smirked, both women having forgotten about Andy who was still watching them intently. She looked around Paige toward Piper. "You're the first one to survive an attack. Hope you didn't get infected by it."

Paige tightened her arm around Piper protectively as she recognized Agent Fallon's own subtle warning in her words.

"If you think of anything, anything at all, call me directly." Agent Fallon ordered, passing her business card to Piper and pointedly ignoring Paige. She turned around and left for her car, leaving Andy still on the threshold with the sisters.

"Like we'd call her before Andy." Paige muttered angrily under her breath, her eyes following Agent Fallon's departure.

Andy smiled gratefully at the youngest Halliwell having heard her comment before turning his attention to Piper. "Try and get some sleep." He suggested gently.

"I will. Thanks." Piper whispered gratefully. She pulled away from Paige and moved back in the direction of the Conservatory and the couch.

Paige was left with Andy on the steps. "Hmm… I'd keep a wary eye on her, Andy." She warned cryptically. She hated letting Andy go with her but she couldn't leave Piper by herself, especially with Agent Fallon's subtle warning. She would have to call Prue and wait for her to get home before watching out for Andy. Andy would take her warning seriously... Surely, ever since she warned Andy about Rex and Hannah…

Andy's eyes were unreadable but he nodded, showing he was listening. "Take care." He wished, slowly turning and following Agent Fallon.

Paige watched Andy leave, turning around only when she heard Piper yell her name. Paige took one last look at Andy and ran into the Conservatory where Piper had taken her bandage off. Piper was crying hysterically and held her arm tight against her chest so Paige couldn't see anything. "Piper, what's wrong?" Paige demanded. She gasped softly as Piper turned her arm enough for Paige to see. "Oh God…" Paige whispered, reaching for the phone.

~PO4~

Harriet Lane's Apartment

Phoebe waited nervously outside the door as she pressed the doorbell and heard it ring throughout the apartment. She heard footsteps approach the door just before the door was opened to reveal a woman, whom Phoebe assumed was Harriet Lane.

"Uh, are you Harriet Lane?" Phoebe asked hopefully.

The woman leaned against the door fixing Phoebe with a suspicious look. "Who are you?" She returned.

"Oh, we've never met. I work at an auction house. Actually, I just started today. My sister got me the job." Phoebe laughed, rambling a little in her nervousness. She hesitated a moment when Harriet Lane looked a bit impatient for her to get to the point. "Um, anyway, I sorta found something and I was wondering if you might recognize it." Phoebe explained, holding up the golden charm bracelet for Harriet to see.

Harriet Lane's eyes widened slightly when they landed on the bracelet. She slowly reached out to look at it closer. Her features suddenly hardened as all the memories resurfaced.

"I've never seen it before." She replied shortly, starting to close the door.

Phoebe looked downcast. "Are you sure?" She pressed, sticking her foot in the way of the door so it couldn't close. "Uh, hi. I don't mean to intrude and I know this must be hard for you, but I know that you recognize this bracelet. It was your daughter's, wasn't it?" She continued.

"Why are you asking me all these questions? Why are you doing this to me?" Harriet demanded, the topic obviously painful to her.

"Your daughter. What's her name?" Phoebe asked gently.

"Teri. Teri Lane." Harriet whispered, studying Phoebe intently, a flare of hope in her eyes. "Do you know where she is?" Phoebe smiled and pointed down the hallway where Prue was waiting with a young teenager. Harriet Lane slowly walked out into the hallway, staring in stunned silence at the teenager. "Teri? Oh my goodness… Teri?" She breathed, quickly approaching her daughter.

Teri met her halfway. "Momma." She whispered, getting pulled into a tight hug.

"My baby. I thought I'd never see you again." Harriet admitted, her eyes filling with tears.

"Its okay, Mom. I'm home now." Teri assured her.

Harriet pushed her daughter a little away from her. "Let me look at you." She murmured proudly before hugging her missing daughter again.

Phoebe laid her head against Prue's shoulder as they both watched the reunion. "I guess that bracelet was worth more than I thought it was." Prue remarked, her eyes never straying from the mother and daughter.

"Are you kidding? It's priceless." Phoebe stated cheerfully. "Thank God for my powers." She sighed in satisfaction.

"It wasn't just your powers that did that, Pheebs." Prue pointed out, playing with her younger sister's hair. They both jumped slightly as Prue's phone began to ring. "Hello? Paige? Wait… what's wrong with Piper?"

~PO4~

The Park

Agent Fallon led the way through the city's park toward where the attacks had been occurring. She glanced back at Andy slyly. "I sure hope Piper's gonna be okay. She didn't look very well." She commented, stopping in the middle of a bridge and looking out at the scenery.

"I know." Andy agreed before pushing his concern to the back of his mind. He needed to stay focused, for Piper in particular. "Piper, Paige, and the first victim were attacked by the far end of those trees." Andy remarked, pointing in the corresponding direction.

Agent Fallon followed Andy's gaze. "Must have hidden in that stretch of woods waiting to attack. Want to get a closer look?" Agent Fallon suggested.

Andy nodded. "Absolutely."

Agent Fallon reached in her pocket and pulled her phone out, turning it off. "You better turn your cell phone off too. Wouldn't want it to ring and scare it away." She pointed out, watching as Andy silently agreed and turned his cell off as well. Agent Fallon looked around her curiously. "This is a nice spot. How'd you find this place? You and Piper's sister spend some time here?"

"No, Prue runs more to the highbrow." Andy laughed casually.

"Her loss." Agent Fallon commented with a pointed look toward Andy.

Andy glanced over at her, his eyes calculating. "I take it you're not married." He decided after a moment.

"Do you see a ring on my finger?" Agent Fallon snapped, obviously this was a touchy topic. "I was engaged once. He was my world, totally my world. Then one day, 'boom', the empty dresser, the one word note, 'sorry.' I started falling. I kept falling." She admitted coldly.

"Yeah, I know how that is." Andy sympathized.

"No, you don't." Agent Fallon returned sharply as if she was offended. Andy turned back to look at her curiously. "But I took steps. I did what I had to do to make it so no one could ever hurt me like that again."

Andy appeared thoughtful. "I'd love to know how you do that." He commented.

Agent Fallon looked at Andy for several moments, almost in a new light. "Maybe I'll show you. If you're lucky." She shrugged pointedly. "Now my life's a lot less complicated. All I'm interested in is sex." She continued, more relaxed then she had been with the earlier conversation. Andy raised his eyebrows at her boldness and looked away. "Does that shock you?" Agent Fallon asked.

Andy shook his head. "No. Just wondering where you were when I was in college, that's all." He explained before turning away.

Agent Fallon's smile fell as soon as Andy turned his back.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Prue and Phoebe dashed through the front door, their eyes scouring the area for Piper and Paige. "Piper, Paige?" Prue called, quickly pulling her jacket off and throwing it over her arm.

Paige came running from the Conservatory, glancing over her shoulder worriedly. "Piper's over here." She told her sisters, pointing behind her.

Prue and Phoebe stepped into the doorway and saw Piper curled up in one of the large armchairs. "Piper." Phoebe breathed, running forward with Prue and Paige just behind her.

"I'm miserable." Piper whispered, pulling her blanket tighter around her as she shivered again.

Phoebe reached out and pushed a strand of Piper's hair away from her face. "It's okay, honey, its okay." She soothed gently.

Piper shook her head. "No, it's not." She murmured, pulling the bandage off her arm and revealing the dark and hairy skin that definitely didn't belong to Piper.

Phoebe jumped up. "Oh, Prue…" She exclaimed, turning to her eldest sister for help.

"Told you it was bad." Paige muttered, biting her lip nervously.

Prue kneeled down beside Piper, reaching down to help her up. "It's gonna be okay. Can you get up?" She wondered.

Piper turned on her with flashing eyes. "Back off! What, you think I can't walk now?" She snapped and Prue fell back in surprise.

Prue, Phoebe, and Paige exchanged open-mouthed glances with each other before Phoebe took a step toward Piper. "Honey, we're just trying to help you."

Piper laughed mirthlessly. "Help me? You can't even hold a job." She returned harshly.

"Okay, now wait a minute, Piper." Prue started, getting ready for a scolding.

"Oh, save it! Do you always have to be in charge?" Piper interrupted. She suddenly blinked and wrapped her arms around herself tighter. "I'm so sorry. What's happening to me?" Her eyes flickered pleadingly to Prue.

Paige took a hesitant step toward Piper. "Don't worry, we're going to figure this out." She offered as assurance.

Prue nodded and sat down on the back of Piper's armchair, gently rubbing her uninjured arm. "We're gonna take care of you." She promised.

Phoebe's eyes flickered to land on the business card Agent Fallon had given Piper. She reached out to take it and was thrown into a premonition.

Agent Fallon turns into the Wendigo and approaches Andy. Andy, busy looking around the park, doesn't notice the Wendigo until it's too late.

The premonition ended and she found herself being steadied by Paige.

"What?" Her three sisters asked, clearly recognizing the signs of a premonition by now.

Phoebe took a steadying breath. "I just saw who the Wendigo is. Agent Fallon." She explained, holding the business card up.

"I knew it!" Paige exclaimed, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

"Oh, shut up. Nobody cares." Piper snapped causing Paige to glance at Piper with a wounded expression.

Phoebe ignored their little squabble and turned to Prue. "Even worse. I saw her and Andy at the park at night, alone." She continued. Prue's eyes widened while Paige inwardly cursed. Prue slowly slid off the chair. "Okay, um, I'm gonna call him and warn him. You two take Piper and go upstairs to the attic and see if you can find a way to help Piper." She ordered, already heading toward the phone.

"Okay." Paige agreed nervously.

~PO4~

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were all crowded around the book, reading and re-reading the page on the Wendigo.

"Nothing, it's just the same crap I've already seen." Piper hissed, angrily pulling away from her younger sisters.

Footsteps coming up the stairs announced Prue's arrival in the attic. "I tried Andy's cell, no answer." She murmured nervously.

"We'll get to him before Agent Fallon can lay a finger on him." Paige promised, stepping forward to give Prue a reassuring hug.

Phoebe sighed, not finding anything helpful in the book. "We can't find anything about reversing the Wendigo thing." She announced, flipping another page in the book hopefully.

Prue moved around to stand next to Phoebe behind the book. "Well, there's got to be something." Prue insisted, her eyes landing on a phrase at the bottom of the page. "Oh, didn't you check this at the bottom of the page? 'c.f. desiderata?" She asked, pointing at it.

Paige shrugged appearing confused. "What is that?"

"Well, it means conferred desiderata. It's Latin for 'look up things that are yearned for.'" Prue explained, flipping toward the front of the book.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're so very smart." Piper muttered in agitation.

Prue glanced at her with narrowed eyes. "Piper." Prue scolded.

Piper's eyes flashed. "Don't Piper me, just shut up."

Prue slowly walked around the book and toward Piper. "No, you are going to listen to me. This is not you. Okay, it's the blood of the Wendigo and you have to fight it." She insisted.

Piper was silent for several moments. "It's so strong." She finally whispered.

"You're stronger." Prue countered encouragingly.

Phoebe moved around the book to stop on Prue's other side. "Fight it, Piper." She added.

"I'm okay." Piper assured them, slowly leaning into Paige's offered arms.

Prue nodded slightly and moved back to the book. "Alright. Things that are yearned for. Wisdom, balance, unbecoming… that has to be it." She decided, now flipping toward the back of the book. "Alright, unbecoming a Wendigo… We have to kill the Wendigo that slashed you by melting its heart of ice." She read thoughtfully.

"What if you can't find her?" Piper asked.

"We'll find her. She's gonna be in the park tonight." Phoebe pointed out calmly.

Paige nodded quickly. "I'm sure I could find Andy if I tried also and we know she'll be with him." She added.

"What if you're wrong? What if you don't? Then you'll have to… then you'll have to kill me." Piper realized, shuddering at the thought.

Prue shook her head immediately. "Don't be ridiculous, Piper, we're not gonna kill you."

"We're gonna kill the thing that did this to you." Phoebe agreed, gently pushing Piper's hair away from her face.

Prue frowned a little as a thought occurred to her. "But we might have to confine you until we get back. So, tie you down, I guess." Prue suggested as cheerfully as she could.

Piper jumped away from Paige's arms. "No, go to Hell." She yelled.

Prue ignored her. "Do we have any chains?" She wondered looking between Phoebe and Paige.

"I actually think I do have something." Phoebe announced, taking off down the stairs to her room.

"Figures she would have chains." Paige murmured under her breath, slowly approaching Piper again. "Are you-you again?" She asked gently.

Piper nodded and returned to leaning against Paige, but her eyes didn't leave her elder sister. "I don't want this to happen to me, Prue. Kill Ashley. This is me talking." She pleaded.

Prue nodded just as Phoebe came running back in, holding up a pair of handcuffs. "Here." Phoebe called, stepping toward them.

"Where did you get those?" Prue started to ask but then shook her head. "Never mind." She decided she didn't want to know.

"Let's just do this." Piper allowed.

Prue pulled a chair to sit in front of the pipe structure near them where Paige slowly sat Piper down in it.

Phoebe pulled the handcuffs out and started to cuff Piper to the pipe. "We still need to take a trip to the Army/Navy store." Phoebe reminded them as she closed the first cuff around Piper's wrist.

"Why?" Prue asked.

"To get a flare gun." Phoebe answered.

Paige shook her head. "What about Andy? We could be too late if we do that." She pointed out.

"Well, we can't just show up without something to kill her with. It'd be suicide." Phoebe countered lightly.

Paige opened her mouth to argue more but Prue cut in. "Look, Paige, orb me to Andy and I'll watch him while you and Phoebe orb to get the flare gun. Then you can orb back. It'll be the quickest." Prue ordered while Phoebe frowned.

"That's too dangerous for you. She'll just kill you if you get in her way." Phoebe argued.

"I'll be fine. I have a defensive power." Prue retorted.

Paige sighed in agreement. "Fine."

Phoebe still didn't look happy but made to close the last cuff around Piper's wrist.

"Screw you, bitch." Piper cursed and Phoebe hesitated.

"Uh, fine, but I think we should hurry." Phoebe allowed with a glance at Piper.

"Yeah, just hang in there, Piper." Prue offered and the three other sisters disappeared in orbs, leaving Piper alone in the attic.

~PO4~

The Park

Andy led the way to where the attacks occurred, pausing a moment thoughtfully as the sun began to set.

Agent Fallon stopped next to him, watching him closely. "What's the matter?" She asked casually.

Andy shrugged nonchalantly as he turned his gaze to the sunset. "Ah, I was just thinking that I'm probably not the best cop to be on this stakeout with, seeing as I'm AB negative." He admitted, glancing toward Agent Fallon.

She smiled and ran a finger seductively down the front of his jacket, closing the distance so there was barely any space between them. "Don't worry. I'll protect you." She assured him, slowly passing by him to lead the way.

Andy watched her leave with slightly narrowed eyes before following after her.

~PO4~

Just behind them, Prue, Phoebe, and Paige orbed in the middle of several large plants that completely obscured the sisters from sight. Paige pointed through the leaves toward where Andy was just disappearing farther down the path. "There he is. I told you I could find him." Paige hissed under her breath.

"Good job, Paigey. You're highly convenient to have around." Phoebe commented with a small smile toward her baby sister.

Prue's eyes were narrowed as she watched Andy disappear completely. "Okay, I'm going to follow him. Hurry up and get back before she attacks. I don't particularly want to have the magic conversation with him again." Prue ordered, pushing her purse into Phoebe's hands. "Just charge the flare gun on my credit card or something." She added, moving to head off after Andy, but stopping as Paige grabbed her arm.

"Be careful, Prue." Paige murmured seriously and Phoebe nodded her head enthusiastically in agreement.

"Yeah, if you have to, use your powers. We'll worry about the after affects later." Phoebe added, quickly hugging her oldest sister.

Prue smiled reassuringly at them. "Don't worry. I'm always careful." She returned lightly before turning and heading through the woods, loosely following Andy's trail.

Phoebe and Paige disappeared in a swirl of orbs seconds later.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper shook continually from her seat where she was chained to the pipes. Her eyes flickered to the window where the moon had completely risen. Her eyes focused on the moon. It had captured her attention completely. She felt the power begin to rise within. A part of her whispered to her to fight it, but the power was compelling and that little voice was quickly overwhelmed. She screamed in ecstasy and she closed her eyes, reveling in her new power. When Piper opened her eyes, they had changed to a bright yellow instead of her light brown. Moments later her body grew as she allowed herself to change into the Wendigo, her clothes ripping off and falling to the floor. She knocked the chair back and  
struggled toward the window, only to be held back by the handcuffs. It was apparently more of a nuisance than anything because with little effort she ripped the handcuffs off the pipes and her wrists, tossing them to the floor. Piper was free.

~PO4~

The Park

Agent Fallon slowly paced back and forth behind Andy, watching him with eyes narrowed in calculation. "Andy, doing okay?" She asked as he scoured the area for any sign of the killer.

Andy unbuttoned his jacket slightly to let more of the cool air in. "A little on edge." He answered. The adrenaline was pumping as the expected attack drew nearer. He knew it would happen. He could almost feel it.

Agent Fallon glanced down at her arm which she allowed to change into the arm of the Wendigo. She had enough control of her power to resist the call until she was ready.

"Instinct of the hunt." She spoke up suddenly. "That's why you're here. That's why you're a cop."

Andy turned to face her with a short laugh. "Does this turn you on or something, Agent Fallon?" He wondered with a roll of his eyes.

"Or something." She allowed cryptically. Agent Fallon took another step closer to Andy significantly closing the distance between them.  
A  
ndy refrained from rolling his eyes, his hand moving up next to her face, but never touching her. "Look, you're a gorgeous woman…" He admitted, but quickly turned away from her. "…but while we're on this job together, let's just leave it at that." He decided, walking back to watch where the creature had attacked previously. Andy reached down to grab his gun from his belt determined to be ready.

"Let's not." Agent Fallon disagreed, slipping her jacket to the ground. She gave into her power and in moments the Wendigo stood in her place.

Andy heard the ripping of her clothes behind him and he spun around, his gun pointed at the Wendigo. He fired several shots successively, but they did nothing to slow her down. Caught off guard, he didn't have time to dodge the blow as the Wendigo's hand hit his head, knocking him to the ground. Andy could have sworn he'd heard Prue's voice but when he moved to look, his eyes clouded over and he gave into the darkness.

~PO4~

Prue had watched their encounter with narrowed eyes and when Agent Fallon turned into the Wendigo she hastily jumped out of her hiding place. There was no more time to wait on Phoebe and Paige. "Hey!" She yelled, squinting at the Wendigo and sending her flying away from Andy. She narrowed her eyes again, ready to send another blast of telekinesis at it when she felt an overwhelming feeling of power shoot through her. She gasped softly and fell to her knees in surprise. When she looked up at the Wendigo again, her eyes had turned bright yellow.

~PO4~

The Wendigo started to advance toward Prue but hesitated upon seeing the sudden change come over the Halliwell. Deciding that she was no longer a threat, the Wendigo turned to its real prize. She leaned over Andy, ripped his shirt open, and used one long nail to cut down his chest.

~PO4~

Prue gasped again as she mentally pushed back against the power that tried to consume her. She saw the Wendigo lean over Andy and her anger was enough to block the intrusion which she knew belonged to Piper. Her eyes had returned to ice blue and she pushed herself to her feet despite a sudden exhaustion that dragged at her. She narrowed her eyes again and the Wendigo was pushed back a second time. Prue, stumbling slightly, ran toward Andy and dropped down next to him, all the while sending another blast of telekinesis at the Wendigo for good measure. Phoebe and Paige appeared next to them just as the Wendigo started to approach Prue and Andy. The Wendigo took one look at the newest arrivals and disappeared into the surrounding foliage.

"Andy, Andy." Prue repeated over and over, gently shaking him in an attempt to wake him up.

Paige's mouth dropped and she was stunned into silence as she kneeled down next to Andy.

Phoebe's eyes were wide. "Is he…?"

Prue shook her head quickly. "No, he's alive, but she slashed him." She murmured.

All three sisters turned their head as they heard the crackle of leaves and broken twigs next to them. Phoebe and Paige lifted Prue up to her feet, sensing her exhaustion, before Phoebe fumbled with the flare gun, trying to get it ready.

Phoebe hastily passed it to Prue, who aimed it at the Wendigo as she stepped out of the woods. Prue pulled the trigger and the flare hit a nearby tree. The Wendigo turned and disappeared back among the trees. "Okay, give me another one." Prue ordered.

Paige obediently passed another flare to Prue and she silently loaded it in the gun. "We don't have very many." Paige warned nervously.

The three sisters spun around just in time to find the Wendigo coming at them from another side. Prue shot another flare at it that missed but effectively scared it away. "Okay, how many more do we have?" Prue asked, holding her hand out for another flare.

"Two." Phoebe answered, her voice tight as Paige handed her the flare.

"Two?" Prue repeated in disbelief, shoving the flare into the gun.

"That's all they had!" Phoebe snapped.

Prue rolled her eyes. "Can anyone shoot a gun?" She demanded, her eyes flickering from Phoebe to Paige.

"We thought you could." Paige mumbled sheepishly.

"Why would you think I could shoot a gun?" Prue questioned, appearing taken aback. "I've never even touched a gun before." She added, her voice a higher pitch and strained.

Phoebe shrugged. "Just sounds like something you would know how to do."

Prue sighed heavily and passed the flare gun to Paige. "Your turn." She ordered.

Paige looked down at the flare gun with wide eyes as Prue and Phoebe scoured the area for any hint of movement. "It's over here!" Phoebe shouted, pointing in the direction where the Wendigo was now coming at them.

Paige closed her eyes and pulled the trigger; the flare missed but scared it away again.

Phoebe shook her head and grabbed the gun from Paige, shoving the last flare into the gun. "Alright, my turn. This time we don't shoot until I see slobber on its face." She muttered.

"Okay, uh, it's over here." Prue pointed out, looking to the left.

"No, it's over here." Paige argued, looking in the opposite direction.

Phoebe moved the flare gun from one Wendigo to the next in indecision and confusion. "Wait, how can it be in two places at once?" Phoebe demanded.

Prue bit her lip nervously. "It can't. One of them is Piper." Prue replied exchanging a wide-eyed glance with Paige.

"Shoot!" Paige snapped, lightly hitting Phoebe in the back to prompt her into action.

Phoebe shook her head quickly. "I can't."

"Just shoot and pray you hit the right one." Prue insisted as the Wendigos moved toward them steadily.

"I can't, Prue." Phoebe retorted, her eyes flickering from one Wendigo to the other.

Paige whirled on Prue. "Try to tell which one is Piper." She suggested hastily.

Prue frowned uncertainly, but closed her eyes, trying desperately to concentrate. The two Wendigos picked up speed, running toward the sisters.

"Prue!" Phoebe yelled while Paige pushed closer against Phoebe, ready to orb all four of them out if need be.

Prue's eyes shot open and flickered to the Wendigo on the left. "Left." She exclaimed, but to her horror Phoebe turned the flare gun to the left on Piper and fired. They all jumped as the shot rang out and suddenly stopped just inches from the Wendigo that was Piper. The other Wendigo was frozen mid-run.

"You said the one on the left." Phoebe accused, staring wide-eyed as she realized she'd almost shot Piper.

Prue glared and tried to steady her breathing. "You asked which one was Piper and I said left! Not which one should I shoot?" Prue argued, her voice rising.

Paige rolled her eyes and moved between Phoebe and Prue. "It doesn't matter. Somebody do something before it unfreezes or Piper tries to kill us again!" She snapped, looking pointedly at Prue to do the honors.

Prue sighed heavily and focused on the flare. It disappeared from in front of Piper and reappeared seconds later in front of Agent Fallon. Everything unfroze and the flare hit Agent Fallon in the heart. She screamed in agony, slowly transforming back into a human as the flare vanquished her and she disappeared. Following Agent Fallon's death, Piper turned back into herself. She glanced down in confusion and embarrassment flooded through her as she realized she was naked. She bit her lip slightly and dashed behind the nearest tree.

Prue, Phoebe, and Paige ran toward her. "Are you okay?" Phoebe asked gently, pulling her jacket off for Piper.

"Yeah, but I'm naked and freezing." Piper answered, shivering in the cold air.

Prue glanced over her shoulder back at Andy after deciding Piper was okay. She ran to him and saw his wound magically close as if it had never happened. "Andy." Prue breathed, dropping down next to him and gently shaking him again. He slowly opened his eyes to find Prue leaning over him. "Hey, are you okay?" She questioned worriedly.

"Prue? What happened? What are you doing here?" Andy groaned before remembering everything that had happened. "Where's the Wendigo?" He demanded, trying to sit up only to fall back as his head began throbbing.

"Hey, easy! She's gone… lie back down." Prue ordered, gently pushing Andy back down. "Just lie back down. It's alright. I'll explain everything later." She promised, glancing over at her sisters where Phoebe and Paige had Piper wrapped up in their jackets.

~PO4~

Quake

Piper moved from the bar and placed three drinks in front of each of her sisters. "On the house, for saving my hide." She explained, slipping into the seat next to Prue.

Phoebe laughed cheerfully and reached for the drink. "Literally, you Wendigo, you." Phoebe teased lightly.

Paige smirked at Phoebe before glancing over at Piper. "So you're feeling better?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, it's like nothing ever happened… except for Billy." Piper answered softly.

"Yeah, well, there was no way you could've known about Agent Fallon." Prue offered sympathetically.

Piper sighed in silent agreement. "I know, it's just, I'm not used to losing an innocent we're meant to protect." She admitted.

"He accomplished his goal. I think he'd be happy to know she's gone." Paige commented gently.

Phoebe nodded quickly. "He wanted to help stop her so she couldn't hurt anybody else and that's exactly what he did." She agreed.

"I'm just grateful that you're safe." Prue whispered, her hand moving to push Piper's brown hair away from her face.

"And Andy." Paige added, a hint of a tease in her voice.

"Not to mention herself." Piper laughed. "I'm sorry I almost turned you into a Wendigo." She apologized.

Prue giggled and took a sip of her drink. "Mmm… we really need to work on blocking or something. That and don't share your powers with me. I don't want them if they're going to turn me into a monster."

Phoebe hit her hand heavily against the table as a waitress passed their table. "Enough of that here. Did you talk to Andy? What'd you tell him?" Phoebe pressed the much safer topic.

Prue smiled with a slight shrug. "I told him the truth." She admitted.

Paige's eyes widened. "No… really?"

"Get out!" Phoebe exclaimed loudly.

"I did. I said what he saw happened was true. That Agent Fallon really was the Wendigo and that had we not vanquished her that both he and Piper would have been killed." Prue explained. "I couldn't think of anything else to say."

"What'd he say?" Paige demanded, leaning forward eagerly.

"Not much." Piper replied for her eldest sister, earning a playful glare from Prue.

However, Prue nodded in confirmation. "He was either too stunned to speak or he actually believed me on some level. It was the closest we've ever come to having an honest conversation."

Piper shrugged, appearing thoughtful. "At least since the witchy thing…"

"So maybe Andy's more open to you being a witch than you think." Phoebe suggested hopefully.

Prue smiled slightly at the thought before looking down at her watch. "Alright, back to work." She announced, grabbing her jacket and glancing pointedly toward Phoebe.

Phoebe frowned suddenly. "Uh, actually, I need to talk to you about something and please don't be mad, but I quit."

Prue tilted her head quizzically. "What?" She asked, receiving a giggle from Paige and a good-natured eye roll from Piper.

"It's not that I don't appreciate the opportunity, because I do. It's just that every time I touch something at Bucklands I risk having a premonition and it's just too emotional for me. Besides, that's your world. I need to find one of my own." Phoebe explained, a little hesitantly.

Prue smiled with understanding but before she could speak, Paige jumped in. "Don't try too hard, Pheebs, because it sucks having to work… I gotta go too. Mr. Cowan is probably ranting to himself about me by now." She giggled with a roll of her eyes.

Piper narrowed her eyes dangerously at her sisters. "Just stay out of my world or I'll kill you." She warned, quickly pushing to her feet and taking several steps back toward the bar.

Prue watched her leave with eyes narrowed in disapproval while Phoebe and Paige exchanged looks of disbelief with each other.

Piper, smirking to herself, decided she should keep her younger sisters from panicking. She turned back to face them. "Kidding. It's a joke." She assured them before leaving them at the table.

Phoebe and Paige's eyes narrowed. Phoebe made a strangle motion with her hands while Paige punched her hand pointedly. Prue rolled her eyes and hastily grabbed her jacket and purse as the youngest Halliwell sisters turned against her.


	25. From Fear to Eternity (Part 1)

From Fear to Eternity

 

Occult Shop

Tanjella, the young owner of the Occult shop that Prue and Phoebe were shopping in, glanced over her shoulder at the clock on a nearby table that read 11:55 pm. Her eyes flickered to land on the two sister witches that were still looking through her merchandise. "Excuse me, but I'm getting ready to close now." Tanjella announced, causing Prue to look hurriedly down at her watch in surprise.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you were open until one." Prue apologized, appearing confused as she could have sworn that open hours went until one in the morning.

"Normally, I am, but not on the eve of Friday the Thirteenth." She explained, acknowledging Prue's confusion as justified. "In fact, I kind of wanna to be closed by midnight." Tanjella added pointedly.

Prue nodded quickly and spun around to face her younger sister that was still shuffling through some charms. "Well, we won't be much longer, will we, Pheebs?" Prue pressed, subtly hinting.

Phoebe rolled her eyes quickly and held up two different charms. "Okay, okay. So, input?" She prompted.

Prue's eyes flickered over the small objects in her sister's hands. "They're nice. Let's go." She offered with a slight shrug as Tanjella again glanced over her shoulder at the clock.

"They're nice?" Phoebe quoted uncertainly, her eyes narrowing in thought. "That's it? Maybe I should pick another one…" Phoebe murmured, turning her back on her eldest sister and toward the charm tables again.

Prue raised her eyebrows, not really seeing the point of the whole excursion. "Phoebe, the woman wants to close." She reminded her softly.

Phoebe nodded in understanding, bringing around another couple of charms for Prue to look at. "I know, I know, but choosing the right good luck charm is a very big decision." She pointed out.

"If they all bring good luck, what's the worst that can happen if you choose the wrong one?" Prue asked with a small smirk at her sister's answering face.

"Alright, you know, this is why I like shopping with Piper." Phoebe returned, pushing Prue toward the cashier's table. "I'll just get them both."

Prue's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why do you need both?"

"You know Paige is gonna want one when she gets home tomorrow morning." Phoebe elaborated, dropping both charms down on the cashier's desk. Prue nodded silently, not understanding her younger sisters' fascination with good-luck charms.

Tanjella reached out and picked them both up. "Okay, do you want me to put this on Piper's order?" She wondered, ringing the charms up.

"No, I'll pay separately." Phoebe answered immediately.

"Cash or charge?" Tanjella questioned.

Phoebe bit her lip slightly and slowly turned to face Prue. "Uh, will you put it on a credit card for me?" Phoebe asked apologetically. She hastily continued as Prue pulled her credit card back out of her purse. "I will pay you back. You know tomorrow I have a job interview…"

"…And the good-luck charm is gonna help you get the job." Prue finished with a short laugh. She passed the credit card to Tanjella, who quickly swiped it through the machine.

"How much?"

Tanjella looked down at the numbers on the cash register. "$25.50 plus tax." She read.

"Okay." Prue allowed.

Tanjella started to turn away but turned back and pointed to a list of names beside the cash register. "Oh, but you get 10% off if you sign the mailing list."

Phoebe grinned and picked up the pen. "See, good luck already." She announced cheerfully, writing both of their names down.

Tanjella studied Prue and Phoebe for several moments as she turned back with Prue's credit card. "If you're interested, we're having a Wicca gathering for the spring equinox." She explained, passing them a flyer.

Prue bit her lip ever-so-slightly. "What makes you think that we would be interested?"

"Most witches are." Tanjella replied with a shrug.

Phoebe's eyes widened slightly and she exchanged a nervous glance with Prue. "We never said that we were witches." Prue spoke up after a moment.

Tanjella smiled knowingly and turned back to where the receipt was printing out.

Phoebe and Prue exchanged another quick glance. "Do you think she knows?" Phoebe hissed under her breath.

"How could she?" Prue returned just as softly.

Phoebe shrugged and finished writing her name down on the mailing list while Prue signed the receipt copy and gathered their bags together.

Tanjella froze suddenly as the clock struck twelve. "Could you please hurry?" She pressed nervously.

Phoebe and Prue hesitated and looked up at her in concern. "Is there a problem?" Phoebe wondered.

"I told you, I just, I want to be closed by midnight." Tanjella explained, hastily grabbing their stuff together for them and glancing worriedly over her shoulder.

Prue's eyes were narrowed thoughtfully. "Wow, you really take this Friday the 13th stuff seriously…" She observed.

Tanjella nodded swiftly. "Yeah, and you should too, especially this one."

Phoebe tilted her head to the side quizzically. "And why is that?" Phoebe questioned.

"Because once every thirteen hundred years, there's a universal convergence of negative energy on Friday the 13th and this is the year." Tanjella explained.

"Of course it is." Prue agreed sarcastically.

The clock struck one last ring and Tanjella closed her eyes, mentally calculating. "Did you hear that? The clock struck thirteen. It's starting already." She announced, standing still for several more moments.

Prue and Phoebe exchanged a third glance before Phoebe hesitantly reached out for their bags. "Goodnight, Tanjella." She offered and hurried after Prue to their car. Prue hopped in the driver's seat and Phoebe in the passenger side.

They drove off and a cloud of smoke appeared from the sewer they had been parked on. The smoke swirled until an older demon appeared. He took a deep, refreshing breath of air before slowly turning to the building Prue and Phoebe had just left.

~PO4~

In her shop, Tanjella was finishing up closing for the night. She carefully blew out the candles that lit the room and flicked the light off. She passed by the door, but turned back as the demon knocked on it. "Sorry, we're closed." Tanjella called, turning away from the door only to turn back as the demon knocked more forcefully. "I said we're closed." She repeated, louder this time, automatically assuming it was a late-night customer. As she watched the demon stepped forward, moving through the door until he was just in front of her.

"Not to me, witch." He retorted while Tanjella paled visibly, her eyes widening in realization.

"Oh my god." She whispered, reaching out desperately for an amulet that lay beside her.

The demon smirked. "Amulets don't work with this demon." He told her before slowly waving his hand over her face. His eyes watched his hand as if reading something. "Your greatest fear is being buried alive… in an earthquake." He continued. As he spoke, the whole building began to shake. Objects fell off their shelves, the lights flickered ominously and Tanjella began to shake as her worst fear became real. She screamed in terror as a large cabinet full of trinkets almost fell on top of her. The demon smiled and held his arms out as if reveling in his power and her screams. "Yes… you can't run, you're frozen… in fear!" He yelled. The shaking grew more violent until Tanjella fell to the ground, lifeless. Everything stilled immediately, objects lay where they had fallen, light fixtures broken, and Tanjella's body in the middle, her hair white and her eyes wide with fear. Satisfied, the demon stepped around her body and approached the signed mailing list. He waved his hand over it and the names of witches, including Prue's and Phoebe's names disappeared from the page. With one last look around at the chaos, he turned and left.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

The next morning Piper ran down the stairs, slightly anxious for the day ahead. She'd never been a fan of Friday the 13th, having terrible luck on a normal day. Now with the demons popping in every week she was worrying even more. The main reason she'd sent Prue to the Occult shop at midnight though Phoebe had been begging Prue to take her for almost a week. Piper grabbed the box of trinkets that Prue and Phoebe had bought for her, following her request of course, from the nearby table as she passed through the Conservatory and into the Solarium. She placed the box in front of her and looked hopefully inside. Rabbit feet and several necklaces that supposedly brought good luck. She pulled them all out and finally chose her favorite to wear. The others would be put to good use in her pockets or around her wrist. Piper glanced up as Phoebe walked through the Solarium, coming from the kitchen. To her surprise, Paige was following close behind, both sisters carrying cups of coffee.

"Think about it. When has she ever said it to you?" Phoebe pressed, making her way toward one of the tables.

Paige frowned thoughtfully. "Well, I don't exactly keep track of these things but I'm sure she has." Paige was arguing, her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

Piper's eyes followed her sisters as they sat down at one of the tables. "Who said what?" She demanded nosily… what big sisters did best.

"Phoebe thinks that Prue hasn't ever said 'I love you.'" Paige explained appearing unconvinced but confused that she couldn't actually remember a time.

Phoebe rolled her eyes slightly. "I'm serious. Just think of a time. Just one." She insisted, turning her chocolate brown eyes toward Piper, officially including her in the conversation. "Whenever I say it to her she always says something like 'same here' or 'me too.'" Phoebe quoted in a bad imitation of Prue.

Piper also appeared thoughtful as she realized Phoebe was actually justified in her reasoning. "You know, you're right." She realized, sounding surprised. She mentally reminded herself to subtly block Prue from this conversation until she found a good time to mention it. After the incident with the Wendigo, Prue and Piper had been working on the blocking thing. Prue could do it well… after all it was her power, but Piper's was still a little weak. However, the two had silently agreed to respect the other's boundaries despite temptation… at least mostly. She was pulled from her reverie from a highly surprised Paige.

"She's actually right?" Paige exclaimed, her eyes wide and staring at Phoebe as if it was a sign of the apocalypse. She, also, could hardly believe that Prue had never told them 'I love you.' Another sign of the apocalypse, she thought.

"I resent that." Phoebe returned sharply, but with a hint of humor in her voice. There was a pause before she continued. "Anyways, the girl cannot say the words 'I love you.' It's like some weird…" Phoebe broke off abruptly as Prue walked in.

"Good morning!" Prue announced cheerfully, earning several confused glances from her sisters as the eldest Halliwell joined them with her cup of coffee.

"Morning." Paige smiled, watching Prue curiously. Prue was unusually cheerful today.

Prue looked over at Phoebe with a wide smile. "Oh, that outfit looks great on you." She complimented enthusiastically.

Phoebe smiled gratefully in return. "Thank you for giving it to me."

Piper's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, you gave her that outfit? Are you feeling okay?" Piper wondered, teasingly reaching out with her hand to touch Prue's forehead as if checking to see if she was sick.

"Should I go get the thermometer?" Paige suggested, eyes slightly narrowed in a scrutinizing manner.

"It was an early birthday present." Prue explained, swatting Piper's hand away from her.

"For the next three years." Phoebe joked.

Paige was still staring at Prue intently. She glanced down at the coffee. Maybe it was the coffee's fault. "Did Phoebe give you that coffee?" She asked, her voice light, making it apparent the 'Phoebe' part was just a joke.

Prue rolled her eyes good-naturedly as Phoebe sent a playful glare in Paige's direction. "I'm fine really. In fact, I had a wonderful dream about Mom."

The atmosphere between the sisters immediately changed. Phoebe leaned forward eagerly, Piper tilted her head to the side in a prompting manner while mentally dropping her barrier and probing Prue for an elaboration, and Paige smiled. The mystery was solved. "What about?" Phoebe finally prompted when Prue didn't immediately explain as she was side-tracked by an apparent silent conversation with Piper.

"Um, I was about four or five and I was reaching up, holding her hand, and she was taking me someplace. I don't know where, but it felt so safe." Prue explained a little wistfully.

"I wish I had dreams like that." Phoebe murmured.

Piper grinned mischievously. "Mom would have to knock before she came into your dreams." She quipped.

"So true." Paige agreed, orbing out as Phoebe swung a hand at her baby sister, who was closer than Piper. Piper smiled triumphantly and laughed while Prue cautiously stayed neutral. Paige reappeared in her seat, giggling softly at Phoebe's look of dissatisfaction.

Prue started to say something to end the squabble when Phoebe raised her hand again but the elder Halliwell suddenly yawned instead. She jumped when Piper's hand flew over her mouth and she hastily pushed it away. "What are you doing?" She demanded in confusion.

"You have to cover your mouth when you yawn or you might let the devil in." Piper explained, earning two looks of amusement from her younger sisters and narrowed eyes of suspicion from her elder sister. Piper irritably slammed her hands down on the table for emphasis. "Especially on Friday the 13th!"

Paige blinked thoughtfully. "Is that why you have all those good-luck charm things?" She asked, nodding her head in the direction of Piper's collection of trinkets.

Piper nodded. "Yep." She answered, poking at a stone, a rabbit foot, and her other amulets. "We're having a superstition themed fundraiser at the restaurant today. I'm going to need all the help that I can get." She continued.

"Don't you think you're overdoing it just a little bit?" Prue prompted gently while Piper shook her head frantically.

"With all the demons and warlocks running around? I don't think so." Piper argued.

Paige's eyes landed on the amulets that sat in front of Piper. "She does kinda have a point there." She offered.

"Oh, Paige! I almost forgot. I got you something." Phoebe announced, suddenly jumping to her feet and running to a drawer where she pulled out the two charms she got from the Occult shop with Prue.

"Ooh! Yay!" Paige exclaimed, eagerly taking the charm Phoebe passed to her. It was almost identical to Phoebe's. A large coin but the pictures were different. "Awww… Prue. You're the only one who hasn't got something. Piper, give Prue something." Paige pleaded, putting on her famous 'Paige puppy face.'

Unfortunately, Piper was shuffling through her bag and missed the puppy face. "No. Prue doesn't need them. I do… especially today."

Prue rolled her eyes and flashed a look to Paige that clearly stated that she was fine with not getting some good-luck charm. "Piper, listen. Demons and warlocks… they're real. Superstitions are like old wives tales told to explain somebody's misfortune." Prue tried again.

Piper still didn't look convinced. "Statistics show that more bad things happen on Friday the 13th than any other day. I met Jeremy on Friday the 13th."

"Really?" Phoebe asked, tilting her head to the side curiously.

"Yes, and he tried to kill me. Afterwards I find out there's a superstition that any relationship started on Friday the 13th is doomed." Piper added dramatically.

Prue giggled, neither sister swaying their stance. "More bad things happen on Friday the 13th because people put energy into believing bad things will happen." She offered.

Piper's eyes flickered to Phoebe who she was under the impression would side with her views the most. Paige just liked the looks of the good-luck charms and just liked to say she had them. "Pheebs." She prompted hopefully.

Phoebe shrugged. "Actually, I prefer the upside of superstition. Good fortune, which is what I hope this little honey brings me at my job interview with the real estate agent." She spoke up, holding her charm up while getting to her feet. 

"Hey, will you give me a lift? I'm running late." Phoebe pleaded, turning toward Piper.

Piper grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair. "Sure." She allowed, following Phoebe toward the front door and leaving Paige and Prue at the table.

"Okay, well, have a great day, Prue, Paige. I love you." Phoebe called pointedly over her shoulder.

Prue was opening up the newspaper and didn't realize the hidden intention behind her words. "Yeah, me too." Prue answered.

Piper and Phoebe hesitated and glanced over their shoulders to Paige who just shrugged in response. They all exchanged a glance, which went unnoticed by the eldest Halliwell, before Piper and Phoebe proceeded in leaving the Manor. Piper pulled her jacket on as she followed Phoebe down the hall to the front door. "I wonder if she knows she does that…" Piper murmured thoughtfully.

Phoebe shrugged and pulled the front door open revealing Andy on the other side of the threshold. His hand was up as if just about to knock when the door was pulled open.

"Hey, Andy." Piper greeted cheerfully.

Andy smiled and quickly put his hand down at his side. "Hey, Prue in?" He asked, looking around Piper and Phoebe as if expecting to see Prue.

Phoebe gave a slight nod and turned back toward the inside of the house. "Prue, there's a policeman here to see you!" She yelled loudly, slipping out as Andy slipped in.

"See ya' later, Andy. We're running late." Piper added before she rushed out the door after her younger sister.

Andy waved farewell and shut the door behind him. He looked around for any sign of Prue but upon hearing none proceeded to walk into the Conservatory, nearly running into her as she came around the corner.

"So, this must be bad news." Prue decided, glancing at Andy in a calculating manner.

Andy chuckled softly. "What makes you say that?"

Prue raised her eyebrows and looked toward the clock. "A little early for a social call." She pointed out, moving around him to sit down on the couch.

"You're right." He allowed with a slight nod. Andy followed her around the couch and sat down in the seat across from her. "We've had three suspicious deaths since midnight. All single female, all under thirty, one was a bookstore owner. Credit card company records show you were her last customer." He continued seriously.

Prue's face fell quickly at the news. "Oh my god…" She whispered, her thoughts invariably remembering Tanjella's warning.

Andy's eyes watched her intently. "You remember anything out of the ordinary? Suspicious characters hanging around?" Andy asked.

Prue looked back up at him, thinking his question through carefully. "No, Phoebe and I were the only ones in there. In fact, she was locking up when we left."

"Was the place in order?" Andy questioned.

Prue frowned in confusion. "Yeah, why?"

"Well, when we found her, her body was half-buried in debris, but the coroner said it wasn't her injuries that killed her. It was a heart attack." He explained. His blue eyes flickered over Prue and there was a hint of worry in his voice.

"A heart attack?" Prue repeated in disbelief.

Andy nodded slightly. "Yeah, her hair had turned shock white; her face was contorted in terror just like all the others." He paused a moment, watching Prue closely. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say they were literally scared to death." 

Andy suddenly smiled faintly. "Do you visit Occult book stores at midnight often?" He wondered teasingly.

Prue rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "No, of course not. Phoebe needed a good luck charm for her job interview today. It was very last minute."

Andy started to say something but was interrupted by the sound of Paige running down the stairs. "Prue? I found something in the book… oh!" Paige cut off suddenly as she turned the corner to find Andy sitting across from Prue, who had paled slightly (thankfully unnoticed by Andy). "Hey, Andy." Paige covered, smiling innocently.

"Hey, Paige. What book?" He asked curiously.

Paige's eyes widened ever-so-slightly and she had to keep herself from glancing at Prue. "Uh, Harry Potter… and the Sorcerer's Stone. Came out earlier this year? Have you read it yet? Alex is letting me borrow his copy and I just thought I'd mention that Diagon Alley is like diagonally…" She invented with a nervous laugh. Without waiting for a response she hurriedly continued. "Yeah, so, uh, I'll just go back upstairs now." Paige decided before she could make more of a fool out of herself. She spun hastily around and dashed up the stairs.

Prue coughed a little that could have been disguising a soft laugh at Paige's terrible lie. However, it did effectively gain Andy's attention back on her before he could spend too much time analyzing Paige's nervous rambling.

Andy studied Prue silently for a moment before slowing standing up to leave. She'd given him all the answers that he'd come for and he sensed a little impatience now that Paige had gone, but he couldn't leave without warning her. "These killings look like some weird ritualistic thing. You might consider shopping somewhere else." He offered softly.

"Meaning?" Prue prompted, tilting her head to the side.

"Just be careful." Andy whispered, slowly turning away from her and toward the front door.

~PO4~

Prue led Andy out before running up the stairs to the attic where she assumed Paige would be waiting for her. She walked in and sure enough her youngest sister was hunched over the Book of Shadows, staring intently at a particular page. Paige looked up quickly upon hearing Prue's entrance.

"Oh, Prue. I'm sorry, I didn't know Andy was in the house!" She apologized immediately. Paige left the book where it was on its stand and ran toward Prue.

Prue smiled faintly, showing that it wasn't that big of a deal. After all Paige had recovered fairly decently. "Paigey, it's okay. Just be more careful next time." She offered before nodding toward the Book of Shadows. "What'd you find?" Prue asked curiously.

Paige appeared relieved and walked back behind the book with Prue following. "Well, Phoebe told me about Tanjella being all… freaked… and I got to thinking that I'd read something about Friday the 13th in the book before. I started looking and voila…" She explained, waving her hand dramatically at the open page.

Prue glanced down at the open page. "The Demon of Fear appears once every 1300 years on Friday the 13th. He feeds on the fears of witches for his survival." Prue read, trailing off as she noticed something. "Mom's handwriting." Prue mumbled, running her hand across the pages.

Paige narrowed her eyes in curiosity. "Really?" She asked, suddenly even more interested than she had been before.

Prue nodded, spinning around and picking up the spirit board which now resided in the attic. She flipped it over and passed it to Paige, who carefully took it.

~PO4~

Quake

"Okay, we need a table for taking the tickets." Piper ordered one of the restaurant's waitresses. The waitress nodded and left Piper in the middle of the room. Piper's brown eyes flickered to look over the cute, blonde guy that also kept shooting glances in her direction. She didn't notice Prue come up behind her.

Prue looked over Piper's shoulder, following her gaze to land on the handsome young man. "Who's the guy?" Prue suddenly asked causing Piper to jump in surprise.

"Lucas Devane." Piper answered slowly as she turned to face her elder sister. "He's chairing the fundraiser for the children's hospital."

Prue nodded thoughtfully, her eyes flickering back to Lucas. "Mmm, right, I saw his picture in a magazine. Wasn't he named one of the Bay Area's most eligible bachelors?" Prue teased.

Piper frowned, casting Prue a mock glare. "Don't rub it in." She mumbled.

"Hey, you're the one that's letting a silly superstition run your life." Prue countered and was pleased to note that Piper was taking her advice into consideration.

"Is he still looking over here?" Piper questioned, resisting the urge to glance over her shoulder for herself.

Prue glanced toward Lucas again to find him staring back at Piper. She smiled and nodded slightly. "Yeah." She decided, linking arms with Piper pulling her in the direction of the less crowded room of the restaurant where they could talk of their 'witchy stuff.' "He's undressing you with his mind and he's down to white cotton." She continued.

"I haven't worn white cotton since high school." Piper retorted with a roll of her eyes. She suddenly pulled Prue to a halt just before the two sisters walked under a ladder. "Whoa!"

Piper exclaimed, pulling back and causing Prue to stumble slightly. "Humor me." She added before Prue could complain. Prue just rolled her eyes. "Anyways, sorry I had to rush you off the phone. What's with the Demon of Fear?"

"Well, Paige found a page on him in the Book of Shadows… in Mom's handwriting." Prue explained softly.

Just like Prue and Paige before her, Piper immediately appeared more interested. "Mom's? Are you sure?" She pressed.

"Yeah, I'm sure. We checked it against the handwriting on the back of the spirit board." Prue replied, slipping into a seat along the bar while Piper did the same next to her.

"Wow, this is the first time we've found anything Mom's written in the book." Piper commented, frowning thoughtfully at this new revelation.

Prue sighed softly and ran a hand through her hair. "Well, she must have known that this demon would appear in our lifetime and she wanted to warn us against him." She decided with the slightest of shrugs.

Piper's brow furrowed nervously. "I don't like the sound of that…"

"If he can kill 13 unmarried witches before midnight, he will be freed from the underworld to wreak his terror every single day." Prue quoted the book.

"Unmarried. Like being single doesn't have enough problems." Piper ranted with another dramatic roll of her eyes. Prue giggled softly but was cut off by her younger sister's question. "So, how can we stop him?" She demanded.

Prue shrugged again, a little frustrated by the vagueness in the book. "I don't know, but he does kill by turning a witch's greatest fear against her." She offered.

"Meaning?" Piper prompted.

"The book doesn't say, but Mom wrote that in the face of our greatest fear, our powers are paralyzed." Prue continued, a hint of worry in her voice.

Piper nearly jumped from her seat at the news. "Wait! We're on the most wanted list and we're defenseless?" She exclaimed in disbelief. Prue's expression was answer enough to her question. "Didn't Mom say anything about how to get rid of him?"

Prue shook her head. "Just to release our fear."

Piper rolled her eyes. "How do we do that?" She wondered aloud. Cryptic. She hated cryptic.

"I don't know. That's all she wrote." Prue explained. There was a moment of silence before Prue spoke again. "Look, I know you're afraid of flying…" She began.

Piper's eyes widened at the thought and she looked away, biting her lip. "It's not really a fear… I just prefer buses." Piper mumbled nervously.

Prue smiled faintly. "Well, as long as you stay in a crowded restaurant, you'll be fine. And since Phoebe's afraid of being trapped in an elevator, I'll tell her to take the stairs. I already told Paige to stay out of cars."

"And you'll stay away from pools." Piper finished, a tense silence falling between the two. Piper sighed softly, understanding Prue's reluctance to admit her fear. "Ever since Mom drowned you've been terrified of the water. That's why you never took swimming lessons with us. We've always known that was the reason, its okay." Piper assured her.

"Yeah, well, don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Prue insisted, a little sharply as she slid out of the bar stool. "I've gotta go." She explained suddenly, beginning to walk away.

"Call me when you get to Bucklands." Piper called after her.

Prue hesitated and slowly turned back to face Piper. "I'm not going to Bucklands. Mom warned us, but there are others." She started nervously.

Piper glanced around them to make sure no one was listening before replying. "We don't know any other witches." She pointed out mildly.

"No, see, Tanjella gave me this flier for a Wicca gathering and there's a woman named Zoe listed as a contact. I'm hoping that she can help. Paige is going to come with me." Prue continued, holding up the flier that Tanjella had given her the night before. "So, just call Pheebs and tell her what's up, okay?"

Piper bit her lip, not liking the situation. "Fine, but don't go anywhere without Paige. And I want to know everything that's going on. Don't block me." Piper decided, her voice leaving no room for argument. Prue gave a slight nod and started to walk away. "I love you!" Piper called after her departing sister.

Prue didn't glance over her shoulder and just waved her hand in Piper's general direction. "Yeah." She responded, walking under the ladder on the way out of the restaurant.

Piper blinked and rolled her eyes before turning back to work.

~PO4~

SWA Properties

"As you can see, we're a small firm but we've built a very successful business." The young woman conducting the interview, Susan, was saying. Phoebe sat in the chair across from the desk with Susan behind it.

Phoebe smiled and tightened her grip on her good-luck charm, willing it to help her. "Oh, well, size doesn't matter to me. What does excite me, though, is the chance to work with a successful woman. I mean, if I want to be a success, who better to learn from, right?"

Susan laughed, fixing Phoebe with an interested look. "Oh, I like that." She looked down at the papers in front of her for a moment. "I've heard all I need to hear. When can you start?" She asked eagerly.

"Are you serious? I got the job?" Phoebe demanded enthusiastically and a little surprised.

Susan shrugged slightly. "I can spot talent when I see it." Susan replied, appearing thoughtful. "Can you start today?"

Phoebe nodded quickly, hardly believing her luck. Damn good charm. "Uh, yeah, yes, of course." She stammered.

Susan started to say something but trailed off as a man walked in, motioning for her. "Hi, honey, give me a second." She greeted, giving him a hold-on-a-minute gesture. The man nodded and walked back out leaving the two women in the office. Susan hesitated a moment before reaching for the keys that were in front of her and passing them to Phoebe.

"Here are the keys, Louise is out of town, I've got…" She stopped with a pointed glance toward the door that the man had just left through. "… I'll be in Calistoga for the rest of the day, so all you have to do is answer the phones." She finished.

"Taking a romantic mid-week break?" Phoebe teased lightly.

Susan suddenly looked a little uncomfortable. "Well, yeah." She allowed, leaning forward to Phoebe slightly and lowering her voice. "Um, which reminds me, there is one special task I'll need you to handle from time to time. If my husband calls, I'll need you to cover for me."

Phoebe's eyes widened in understanding and her eyes flickered to the door. She laughed nervously and glanced back toward Susan. "Oh, right, uh, sure…" Phoebe offered uncertainly.

"Our little secret?" Susan pressed.

Phoebe offered a fake smile. "Oh, of course!"

"Well, you have my pager number. Have fun." Susan continued, standing up from behind the desk. She quickly walked around Phoebe and toward the door.

"Okay." Phoebe replied with forced enthusiasm. She turned as she heard the door close, leaving her alone in the office. "You too." She added, her smile immediately falling.

~PO4~

South Bay Social Services

Paige's eyes flickered distractedly around the room as Mr. Cowan and this month's speaker continued their speech on 'The Importance of Assistant Social Workers.' It was a monthly tradition that felt more like it happened every week. The lecture felt long enough for it. She was seated along a long table in one of the conference rooms with her fellow assistants around her. "We could not continue our work without the help of our assistants…" Paige quoted silently just as the words left the speaker's mouth. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the predictable line and instead focused on at least looking like she was paying attention. She was suddenly pulled from her stupor by Mr. Cowan calling her name.

"Paige… Paige! Ms. Matthews!"

Paige's head shot up off her arm and she blushed slightly as it became apparent to the room that she had been feigning interest the entire time. It was obvious from Mr. Cowan's face that he had tried calling her name at least several times before she'd realized it. She hurriedly blinked the glazed look out of her eyes and waited for an elaboration from Mr. Cowan.

Mr. Cowan frowned in disapproval. "Your sister is waiting for you." He explained sharply.

"Thank god!" Paige exclaimed, receiving several amused chuckles from a few of her fellow assistants that happened to still be paying attention. She bit her lip, not expecting to have said it aloud. "Oops…" She mumbled, grabbing her stuff together in order to not look at her boss.

Mr. Cowan rolled his eyes and pulled a stack of papers from a table behind them and dropped them in front of Paige. "Notes on this month's meeting. Read over the changes in policy. I expect to see you in my office at 1:00 this afternoon. No excuses, Ms. Matthews."

Paige nodded vigorously in understanding and dashed out of the conference room, nearly running into Prue who was waiting just outside the door. She pulled to a stop, lost her balance, and fell into Prue. Instead of embarrassment, Paige wrapped her arms around Prue in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you!" Paige repeated over and over.

Prue laughed softly and half-dragged her baby sister away from the conference room where many bored assistants were watching them for no other reason than that the Halliwell sisters were far more entertaining than the speaker. "You're very welcome. Next time, though, I'd try to keep the 'thank god' part to yourself. Your boss looked like he was going to strangle you."

"It was an accident." Paige returned, crossing her arms and pouting like a little kid. She smiled suddenly, showing it had been an act, and grabbed Prue's hand, pulling her elder sister after her. "Come on! The demons won't wait all day." She reminded Prue.

"Yes, unfortunately." Prue agreed, nervously glancing around them to see if anyone was paying them any notice. She breathed a little easier when she saw everyone going about their own business. "Alright, I tracked down this woman, Zoe. She lives across from the twin peaks park in an apartment complex…"

Paige nodded and pulled a closet open and stepped inside. "Yeah, that's where Amanda lives." She nodded to herself, trying to picture the inside for a good place to orb into. Paige finally noticed the narrowed eyes of her older sister staring at her. "Oh, come on, Prue. It'll be quicker to orb." She explained. Prue still didn't move and was eyeing the closet as if it was going to come alive and swallow them. Paige rolled her eyes and jerked Prue in. Prue yelped in surprise but before she could scold her youngest sister, Paige was already orbing them out.

Just before the orbs swirled around her, Prue squinted at the door, slamming it shut before someone could witness the magic. She blinked and the closet was gone. Another blink and they were reappearing in a storage room. "Paige! You can't just do that! Somebody could have seen us!" Prue started as the last of the orbs died away. She was interrupted by the sound of the storage room being opened. Her eyes widened and she pulled a slightly-slower-to-react Paige behind a large tile waxing machine. She was glaring daggers at her more go-lucky sister who didn't appear fazed by the fact that someone could catch them loitering in the storage room. That would be an embarrassing conversation. The door shut again and they were left in silence. "See?" Prue snapped.

Paige blinked innocently and looked over Prue. "Are you done?" She asked teasingly.

"Yeah." Prue allowed with a heavy sigh.

"Good. Okay, we're on the first floor. In the storage room down the hall from the receptionist desk." Paige explained, already heading out the door with Prue running to catch up.

The two sisters reached the receptionist desk. Paige quickly signed their names on the visitor's sign in log while Prue explained who they were looking for.

"Room 412." The receptionist replied, handing them stickers with the lone word 'visitor.'

Prue nodded a thank you and she and Paige hastened toward the elevator that would take them to the floor Zoe lived on.

~PO4~

Zoe stood in her room in front of a table where she was carefully trimming one of her plants. She felt a light breeze and heard a faint swoosh and she paused in her work. After a moment she sat her scissors down on the table and slowly turned around. Her eyes held no surprise as she looked over Barbas, the Demon of Fear. "I thought you might come."

She commented with a half smile. "There is nothing for you here."

"Oh, you couldn't be more wrong, witch. You're all alone. That is all I need." The Demon of Fear retorted from where he stood just in front of the door to her apartment.

Zoe smiled and took several confident steps toward him. "You have no power over me. I have evolved to a place where I have released all mortal fears." Zoe returned. She watched as Barbas turned his attention to his hand before continuing. "My inner strength will destroy you." She warned, a dangerous edge to her voice.

Barbas didn't answer, but watched his hand as he slowly waved it over her. His dark eyes looked around her to the candle that stood behind Zoe on the table. The candle flashed and the small flame shot up and hit the floor, quickly catching the carpet on fire.

Zoe jumped and tried to stomp the flame out but it only grew worse.

"You didn't release your fear of fire. You only repressed it." Barbas finally answered. The flames spread in a circle around her, encircling her in fire that rivaled her height.

She gasped in fear and tried to back away only to find the flames behind her as well. "No, please!" Zoe pleaded.

Barbas raised his arms, reveling in her fear. "Save it! For another lifetime! You are frozen… In Fear!"

~PO4~

"412, right?" Paige called, stopping just in front of the door to Zoe's apartment. She reached slowly for the door, but jumped back as if the door had shocked her.

Prue walked up from behind her youngest sister. She was staring at Paige in confusion as the younger Halliwell didn't move to explain why she'd jumped away from the door. In fact, Paige almost appeared frozen in thought. With a shrug, Prue turned back to the door and knocked. "Hello?"

"Prue, open the door!" Paige hissed, her eyes dark. Prue would have thought she'd been possessed if it had been anyone but one of her sisters. A scream sounded through the

door and Paige moved past Prue and tried desperately to push the door open.

Prue narrowed her eyes and it swung open, knocking Paige to the floor, who grunted softly at the impact. Prue stepped over Paige immediately on the alert but she halted as her eyes caught sight of Zoe. Her lifeless body lay on the floor, her hair white and eyes wide with fear. A circle of burnt carpet was around her and smoke filled the entire room.

Paige was frozen on the floor and probably would have stayed there had Prue not grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to her feet. The younger Halliwell watched as Prue dialed 911 on her phone and called in the murder. She hardly registered her older sister's order of 'orb us out' until she heard the sirens of the police in the distance.

~PO4~

Andy walked around the small crowd of investigators and kneeled down next to Darryl beside Zoe's body. "Sorry I'm late." He apologized softly, his eyes scouring over this latest victim. "So what do we have?"

"There are no burn marks on the body. She didn't die of smoke inhalation, her heart gave up just like the others." Darryl filled him in, trailing off as he looked at Andy and noticed his shoes. Tacky, ugly, dirty serial shoes. Darryl rolled his eyes and nodded toward them. "I can't believe you're wearing those serial shoes again." He muttered.

Andy smiled and glanced down at his shoes fondly. "They're my good-luck charm." He countered lightly.

Darryl shook his head, stealing another look down at them. "They're embarrassing." Darryl retorted.

Andy gave a slight nod in acknowledgement of Darryl's feelings before letting the subject drop and pointing down at the victim. "This is the fifth woman with ties to the occult that's been found dead since midnight. Now tell me it's not the work of some serial nutcase." Andy challenged.

"I can't…" Darryl allowed. He smirked slightly and continued. "… but it still doesn't mean those shoes aren't embarrassing." He pointed out, receiving an eye roll and another nod from Andy.

Andy turned his attention to Zoe's body and carefully pulled the sheet away from her face as another cop grabbed Darryl's attention. He sighed and slowly threw the sheet back over her and stood up just as Darryl came back to him.

"The doorman keeps a visitor's sign-in log. Wanna guess who the last person was to see the victim?" Darryl asked.

"I'm gonna guess the killer." Andy answered, crossing his arms expectantly.

Darryl hesitated a slight moment. "Prue."

Andy's face fell immediately and he drifted off in his thoughts. He barely registered hearing Darryl continue with Paige's name.

~PO4~

Quake

Prue and Paige met Phoebe and Piper at Quake where Piper had saved the four of them a table upon receiving the most recent update on their current demon predicament. Prue was unusually silent as she relived seeing Zoe's lifeless body. Piper's eyes were narrowed in concentration as she attempted to block Prue's morbid train of thought. Paige and Phoebe were talking in hushed voices so as not to disturb their older sisters. Both of whom would get extremely mad at being interrupted. Finally, Piper rolled her eyes and decided they needed to figure something out before the Demon of Fear came looking for them. "So what did you guys tell Andy?" She asked nervously.

"We didn't talk to Andy." Paige mumbled, running a hand swiftly through her dark hair.

"I didn't want him to know we were anywhere near there so I called 911 and Paige orbed us out." Prue explained, picking at her nearly full plate of food with her fork.

Phoebe's eyes were narrowed in concern and reached out hesitantly to her eldest sister, whom appeared to be taking it the hardest. "Are you sure you're okay?" She pressed sympathetically.

Prue sighed, dropped her fork on her plate, and nodded slightly to Phoebe. "Yeah, it's just, uh, I can't get her face out of my mind, you know? There was so much fear and her hair was pure white… the terror she must have it felt. It's just…"

"Stop it!" Piper interrupted her, rubbing the sides of her head as she felt a serious migraine coming on. Prue obediently trailed off.

Phoebe was nodding vigorously in agreement. "I'm scared enough, thank you." She added dramatically with wide brown eyes.

"So what are we going to do?" Paige demanded, leaning forward slightly for a bit more 'privacy.'

"We avoid any place he can use to terrorize us." Piper replied confidently.

"And what about all the other witches?" Phoebe wondered with a slight frown as Piper's plan clearly left out a huge chunk of San Francisco.

Prue glanced up thoughtfully. "Well, I took Zoe's day runner. Some of the names in there have got to be witches. We can start making phone calls." She suggested.

"Uh… no, I have to go back to work in an hour…" Paige mumbled, biting her lip guiltily.

"I'll start making phone calls." Prue remedied with a shrug. She reached across the table for the salt which she accidently knocked over. She sighed softly, having to reach farther for the salt shaker.

Piper nearly jumped from her seat with wide brown eyes. "Quick! Throw some over your shoulder!" She ordered in mild hysteria.

Prue stared at Piper in disbelief for several moments. "Don't be ridiculous."

"It's bad luck. You could be attacked by evil spirits." Piper argued, crossing her arms defiantly across her chest.

Prue rolled her eyes and quickly shook some salt over her food before turning her attention back to her younger sister. "Piper, we have been attacked by plenty of evil spirits and they had nothing to do with salt…" She returned, her voice resonating with her disbelief. Phoebe and Paige exchanged an amused glance as Prue continued her rant. "…And considering our powers. I can't believe you want to rely on this for our protection."

"My feeling is you can never be too rich or too safe." Piper retorted.

The two elder Halliwells were broken from their sisterly banter by an exclamation from Paige. "Ooh! Phoebe, look." Paige was pointing excitedly at the decorative plant on the table in front of them.

"Oh, a lady bug!" Phoebe grinned, gingerly reaching out for one of the leaves to better show the lady bug to her sisters.

"Is that bad luck?" Prue quipped with a pointed glance in Piper's direction.

Piper started to say something but was interrupted by Phoebe.

"Actually, Grams once told me that whatever direction it flies in, you can find your ideal mate." Phoebe explained, suddenly looking excited. She straightened up in her seat, moving closer to the plant. "We've gotta try it." She decided, flicking the leaf with her finger.

The lady bug, dissatisfied with its new moving company flew away from the leaf and the table to land on Lucas' shoulder.

"Oh!" Piper gasped, quickly looking away before Lucas could see her staring.

Prue grinned, her eyes flickering suggestively from Lucas to Piper and back again. "So, does a positive superstition cancel out a negative one?" She asked teasingly.

Piper rolled her eyes and lightly slapped Prue on the arm. "I don't know." Piper snapped, sending a glare.

"Huh?" Paige questioned, staring in confusion from Prue, Piper, and Lucas. She was relieved to see that at least Phoebe seemed to be just as lost as she was.

Prue turned slightly away from Piper to face Phoebe and Paige. "That guy has been trying to talk to Piper all day and she has been avoiding him because she just…."

A waiter started to walk by the sisters' table, but tripped and sent a wave of ice cold water over Prue who immediately quit ranting and half-jumped away from him.

Piper yelped in surprise but was up and carefully grabbed some napkins to soak up some of the excess water. "You should have thrown the salt…" Piper started.

"You know what, Piper? Don't even say it." Prue ordered, hastily standing up from her seat. "I'm going home to change." She muttered in irritation before stalking off toward the front door.

"Be careful, I love you!" Phoebe called after her.

Prue glanced over her shoulder and gave Phoebe a quick wave. "Yeah."

Phoebe frowned and crossed her arms in disappointment as Piper slowly slipped back into her seat.

"Okay, I believe you now. She can't say it." Paige mumbled, appearing a little dejected as she dropped her head onto her arm.

"I think she's afraid it'll make her look too vulnerable. Ever since Mom died, you know, she has to be the strong one to take care of us and everything. It's probably just all part of that." Piper offered with a shrug.  
Phoebe watched after Prue thoughtfully before slowly getting to her feet. "Maybe, but I gotta get back to work."

"How's the new job?" Piper wondered curiously.

Phoebe's smiled faltered as she turned to grab her jacket. "Great… except my boss wants me to lie to her husband about an affair that she's been having." Phoebe explained with false enthusiasm.

Paige rolled her eyes. "Figures."

"How nice…" Piper agreed sarcastically. "What are you gonna do?"

Phoebe shrugged at a loss. "I don't know. I'm just hoping it never comes up." She answered before smiling slightly at catching sight of Lucas staring in their direction. "Hey, good luck." She added with a pointed nod in his direction.

"Hey, Pheebs, I'll walk you out." Paige decided, jumping to her feet and following after Phoebe. With a last wave at their older sister, Piper was left at the table alone.

Piper started to clean up the table when Lucas stopped next to her. She hesitantly glanced up at him and smiled politely.

"How's it going?" Lucas asked, leaning against the chair that Prue had previously occupied.

"Oh, good." Piper allowed, looking back down at the plates to avoid eye contact.

Lucas hesitated a split moment before continuing. "Listen, um, we've been working so well together on this fundraiser, I was, uh, wondering if you wanted to get dinner after it's over." He suggested hopefully.

Piper bit her lip and inwardly cursed at her situation. "Uh, I should probably… I should probably check my schedule." She fumbled for the excuse.

Lucas' face fell slightly in disappointment. "You don't know if you're free tonight?"

"Well, um…" Piper started, but caught sight of the lady bug still on his shoulder. She sighed and smiled a bit wider. "Um, dinner would be great." Piper remedied.

Lucas nodded, obviously a little surprised. "Great." He decided, slowly turning away until later.

~PO4~

South Bay Social Services

Paige smiled cheerfully as she dropped into one of the comfortable seats in her boss' office. She wasn't even late! Probably the first time since she got the job. Mr. Cowan came in precisely at 1:00 and looked quizzically at Paige. He obviously hadn't expected her on time, much less early, even if it was just by a few minutes. He, however, wasted no time in getting down to business.

"Dillan McDowell. Age seven. Lives with his father. The poor kid's family has been hit by tragedy upon tragedy this past year. Lost one of his grandparents last February. His mother and little brother were in a fatal car crash back in July. His father, Charles, appears willing enough to allow us to help. You're meeting them at their house at 1:45." Mr. Cowan explained quickly and professionally.

Paige bit her lip slightly as Mr. Cowan mentioned the meeting. "Uh, Mr. Cowan… I don't have my car today." And I can't just orb into somebody's home… She added silently. Not to mention someone was bound to notice that she hadn't driven here today and would no doubt become suspicious if she miraculously made it to the McDowell's.

Mr. Cowan raised his eyebrows at her in disbelief. "You'll just have to borrow a company car." He shrugged her hesitance off and passed her the rest of the information on Dillan. "I suggest you leave soon or you'll be late." He offered. "Unless there's a problem…" He continued, watching her expression closely.

Paige reluctantly grabbed her stuff together but forced a smile on her face for him. "No… I just, uh, a company car's fine, I guess. I better go." She decided, practically running out of Mr. Cowan's office and pulling her phone out. She had already dialed half the number to Prue's cell before she decided she was over-reacting. It was just a little drive. Not far at all and she didn't really think she was unlucky enough for Mr. Demon of Fear guy to show up. Especially with all the other witches around. Besides, she didn't even think she had a fear of cars. She just sort of went along with it since her sisters were worried. Paige hung up her phone and signed her name down for borrowing one of the social service's vans. With a determined glint in her dark brown eyes she took the keys from the worker offering them to her.

~PO4~

Andy and Darryl's Patrol Car

Andy slid into the passenger seat of their car and closed the door behind him while Darryl turned the ignition and the car roared to life.

"Okay, so which one first?" Darryl asked, glancing toward his partner who had been lost in thought for the past thirty or so minutes.

"Paige works at South Bay Social Services. It's on the way to the Manor." Andy replied distantly, his eyes looking directly out the window. They were narrowed in concentration as if he was trying to put the pieces of a particularly hard puzzle together.

Darryl nodded, ignoring Andy's weird mood for the time being. "Great. As much as I like that house I would like to have a week where I don't have to see it." He joked, pulling out of the parking lot of Zoe's Apartment Complex.

Andy appeared not to have heard or had just tuned Darryl out. There was a new light in his blue eyes. One of the pieces just clicked together.

~PO4~

South Bay Social Services Parking Lot

Paige stopped just outside of the car that she was borrowing. She suddenly had a bad feeling about it but pushed it away as worry about how her sisters were going to kill her after they found out. "Come on, Paige. Show a little spine. It's just a stupid car." She muttered to herself. She pulled the door open and tossed her bag into the passenger seat before sliding into the Driver's side. Paige rolled her eyes when nothing happened. Ignoring her train of thought that was invariably leading back to when her parents had died she slammed the key into the ignition and cranked the car. She immediately rolled down the windows so she wouldn't feel so confined and turned the radio to her favorite station. As  
she adjusted her mirrors she spun around upon seeing him in the backseat. She didn't recognize him, but she didn't need to in order to know who he was.

Barbas, the Demon of Fear, wasted no time in waving his hand over her face. "Your greatest fear is being trapped in the car after a crash." He spoke calmly, his eyes never leaving the youngest Halliwell.

Paige turned away and began frantically trying to push the door of the car open before he could act on her fear. The door wouldn't budge and she was suddenly restricted as her seatbelt, which she had no memory of putting on, tightened, forcing her against the seat. The windows of the car rolled up by themselves and she vainly strained against the seatbelt for her purse which she had thrown in the passenger's seat. "Phone!" She gasped, calling for the only thing she could think of to help her. Glass from the broken window shield fell over her, leaving cuts along her arms. "Phone!" Paige called again, more a plead, after it didn't come the first time.

"In the face of your greatest fear you powers are frozen." Barbas laughed at Paige's vain attempts to save herself. He leaned back and closed his eyes, taking in every ounce of her fear.

Paige gave up on the phone and turned back to the door. She shut her eyes tight, trying to ignore the sounds of sirens, the sound of screeching tires, the feel of metal pressing tight against her, of fire shooting up around her. She pushed against the door as tears cascaded down her cheeks. Suddenly the door was jerked open and Paige toppled out of the car. Someone caught her just before she could hit the ground but she didn't dare open her eyes. There were no  
sounds of sirens or tires, no metal, no fire and that scared her nearly as much as the car had. Surely that meant she had died or something. She felt someone shaking her gently, trying to tell her to look at them. She tried to tell them to go away, to leave her alone but she was pretty sure no words came out. Paige heard them say Prue's name… she found it quite odd that they were inquiring about her sister. Wouldn't they know Prue wasn't with her? Her curiosity got the better of her and her eyes flickered open to stare into the worried blue eyes of Andy.

"Paige?" Andy repeated for what felt like the umpteenth time. Darryl was next to him debating whether he should call an ambulance or something. There was no evidence of Paige being hurt but the haunted look in her eyes made it tempting. "Darryl, go get some water." Andy ordered as he placed a hand against Paige's forehead. She was burning up and he couldn't miss the fear and the tears in her dark brown eyes. He glanced over her shoulder toward the car and pulled Paige into a protective hug. Andy wasn't sure what exactly was going on but he had no doubt in his mind that Paige had met whoever the serial killer was.

Paige slowly regained control of herself and looked down at her arms. They were stinging as if covered in cuts and she remembered seeing the glass from the window shield do just that, but looking at them, there was no evidence. She was certain there was no evidence that the seatbelt had restrained her either. After all, technically, she had never put it on, even if she felt as if she had been bruised. It had all been an illusion. An illusion that had almost killed her. Darryl had returned and Paige eagerly took the bottle of water that he offered her. Andy and Darryl were conversing, but she wasn't listening, too deep in her own thoughts. She vaguely registered that they were going to take her home and she  
felt a little relief. Prue would be there.

Andy gently lifted Paige to her feet and Darryl helped her back inside Social Services to wait for Andy. He had turned back to the car and was busy looking around for anything, anything at all to explain what had happened. There was no evidence of anyone else being in the car with Paige but someone was killing the women and had attempted to kill Paige. People don't just fall over in fear and Paige had been in cars before without breaking down. With a frustrated glint in his eyes he grabbed Paige's purse, including her phone and followed Darryl and Paige back into Social Services.


	26. From Fear to Eternity (Part 2)

SWA Properties/ The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe sat at her desk, watching as another worker retrieved his papers that had just come out of the printer next to her. She waited until he had disappeared into the next room before turning her attention to her good-luck charm that she held in her hand. "Okay, heads- I tell him the truth. Tails- I lie." Phoebe decided softly. She tossed the coin into the air. As it came back down it rolled off the desk to land on a filing cabinet in front of the desk. "Oh, that helped a lot." She muttered sarcastically as she saw it had landed on its edge, neither heads nor tails. Phoebe grabbed her coin and turned to the phone that had just started ringing. "Oh." She exclaimed as her elbow knocked over a bottle of water that was sitting next to the phone. "Hold on please." Phoebe told the person on the other line while hastily sitting the phone down. As she picked up the bottle she was thrown into a premonition.

Prue was fighting to get out of the shower while the water filled higher and higher to the point that it was well over her head.

"Prue…" Phoebe breathed, her mind racing as she put pieces together. Prue was going to drown in the shower- Prue was deathly afraid of water and drowning- The Demon of Fear was going to attack Prue. Phoebe suddenly remembered the person on the phone and picked it back up. "Uh, no one's in, call back later." She answered and hung up the phone.

"Paige! Paige!" She hissed under her breath while dialing the number to the Manor.

~PO4~

Prue turned the water to the shower on and stepped inside. Over the noise of the falling water she didn't hear the phone downstairs ring. The answering machine clicked on and  
Phoebe's voice filled the Foyer. "Prue, its Phoebe. Are you there? Pick up? Hello? Prue, I just had a premonition. You could be in trouble. Are you there? Prue, are you there?"

Barbas smoked into the Foyer in time to catch the message. His eyes flickered to the answering machine where the caller ID was shown. He waved his hand over it and 'SWA Properties' disappeared. Barbas slowly turned toward the stairs that would lead him to the eldest Charmed One.

~PO4~

Phoebe slammed the phone down and grabbed at her jacket and car keys. "Paige!" She called again, a little louder and more desperate than before as she raced out to the company car.

~PO4~

Barbas stepped through the closed door of the bathroom. Prue, her eyes closed against the water, didn't notice him as he waved his hand over her. He glanced at Prue thoughtfully. Prue slowly opened her eyes, shielding them with her hand. She immediately noticed the presence of Barbas and just as quickly deduced who he was. She gasped and jumped as far back away from him as the shower would allow.

Your greatest fear is drowning. Thank you for making it so easy." The Demon of Fear took a step forward and closed his eyes expectantly.

The water in the shower began to rise quickly and Prue looked down at it in dismay.

Barbas saw the first signs of fear in Prue's widened eyes and she paled visibly. "That's right… Give me your fear."

Prue stepped through the water that filled the bottom of the shower to the door and tried to pull it open. She panicked when it didn't move and desperately hit the glass trying to force her way through it while the water rose quickly around her. As the water reached her shoulders she turned the water off in a vain attempt to stop it from rising. With the water still rising to her neck she turned back to the door and narrowed her eyes at it. No blast of telekinesis hit the door and she tried again receiving another failed attempt.

Barbas smiled and reveled in her growing fear. "You powers are frozen by your fear." He explained.

Prue, now struggling to keep her head above the water level, turned to the small shelves that held her shampoos and soaps. Knocking them off she grabbed the top shelf and tried to pull herself higher, only to slip and fall under the water completely.

~PO4~

Andy, Darryl, and Paige walked up to the threshold of the Manor. Paige stepped ahead of them as she fumbled for the house key on her ring of many keys. Andy was watching her closely as if he expected her to collapse or freeze up at any moment. She pretended she didn't notice anymore. It didn't seem to matter how many times she assured him that she was okay, he still looked unconvinced. Granted even she could tell she was still skittish and pale and she wasn't studying herself. Paige finally realized that she was holding the wrong key ring. This one was her work keys not her house and car keys.

"Uh, I think I've got the wrong keys." She admitted sheepishly. Without looking at them she took a step forward and knocked loudly on the door.

Andy frowned slightly and rang the doorbell. "Prue is home, right?" He asked when there was no sound of anyone coming to answer the door. He glanced back behind him and saw her car in the driveway. He couldn't help but feel a little uneasy with the situation and pressed the doorbell again.

Darryl rolled his eyes at their impatience. "Give the girl some time to get over here. She could be upstairs." He offered. There was a hint of a tease in his voice that was directed to Andy's obvious overprotective impatience but he didn't miss that Paige had a similar expression.

~PO4~

Barbas opened his eyes as the doorbell rang through the house. His eyes flashed in frustration as it sounded a second time. This was the second witch he was going to lose. Prue finally relocated the shelves in the water and pulled herself back up. Now, even with the extra boost, she could barely keep her head above the water. She let out a terrified scream as she realized she had nowhere else to go.

~PO4~

The scream drifted out of the house where Andy and Darryl immediately responded. Darryl stepped back and pulled out his gun while Andy pulled Paige away from the door.

"Look out." He ordered, pushing Paige behind him and kicking the door open. Andy slipped inside first, pulling his gun out and heading toward the stairs. "Stay here." He hissed to

Paige who had come in following them with wide eyes. Andy and Darryl didn't wait to see if she had listened or not, they took off in the direction of the scream.

~PO4~

Prue heard her name being called and she opened her mouth to scream for help when her hand slipped and she fell deeper into the water. She caught a blurred sight of Barbas smoking out. She heard the door slam against the wall as it was kicked in and Andy and Darryl ran in, their guns pointed.

"Prue?" Andy repeated her name, his voice a mixture of worry and confusion.

Prue suddenly realized the water was gone and she leaned heavily against the side of the shower to catch her breath.

Darryl motioned to Andy that he was going to wait downstairs and disappeared out the door just as Paige came running in, her eyes freezing on her eldest sister.

"You okay?" Andy asked, still scouring the area for anything only to find, to his frustration, more of nothing.

Paige hastily tossed Prue a towel as Prue fumbled for something to tell Andy. "I… don't know." She admitted, fiercely rubbing the silent tears away from her eyes.

Andy glanced over at Paige and sighed softly. "I'll wait for you downstairs." He decided. He cast one more worried look over the two sisters before walking out and closing the door to the bathroom behind him.

Prue stepped out of the shower to meet Paige but froze as water spilled out of the shower as if it had been filled and not empty as everyone saw it. She watched the water flow out and her vision blurred as she suddenly felt weak. Paige pulled her the rest of the way out and helped her carefully slide down to the floor, clutching the towel against her.

~PO4~

So what were you screaming about?" Andy questioned, disbelief evident in his tone as he asked the question again. He paced by the couch that Prue was currently sitting on without glancing in her direction.

Prue carefully avoided the eyes of the two cops. She had regained the majority of her composure though she was still a little paler than normal and she clearly would rather not be having this conversation. "I told you I had soap in my eyes." She repeated her answer a second time, completely aware of how ridiculous it sounded.

Andy chanced a glance at her as he turned back around to continue in the other direction. "You had soap in your eyes? That's why you were screaming?" He pressed.

"Yes." Prue answered, a hint of defiance in her voice.

"Would you like to tell us what you and Paige were doing at that woman's apartment?" Darryl spoke up for the first time.

Prue's eyes flickered to look at the door leading to the Solarium where Paige was waiting for questioning. She swallowed uncomfortably before answering. "I was, um…" She hesitated a split moment. "Zoe was a collector of Occult items and she wanted to know if the auction house was interested in selling them for her." Prue fabricated, silently praying that either Paige was listening in or maybe Piper would get here in time to drop a hint so their stories would match. Why they hadn't went over what they were going to say when they were left alone in the bathroom, Prue could only blame that they had been too traumatized by what could have happened to think about it. Piper, Prue having telepathically  
filled her in, was furious with both her sisters and was driving, perhaps a little recklessly, to meet them here.

"Why was Paige with you if you were doing something for the auction house?" Andy asked, crossing his arms expectantly and jolting her out of her train of thought.

"You came by earlier and said to be careful so after I told Piper, Phoebe, and Paige, Piper wanted to come with me but she couldn't get off work and Phoebe had that job interview so Paige volunteered." Prue explained. That answer was mostly true, if a little out of order.

Darryl nodded slightly and wrote her answer down on his notepad. "When you got there, was Zoe alive or already dead?"

"Dead." Prue replied softly.

Andy and Darryl exchanged a look of surprise and Andy stepped forward again. "So, you and Paige called 911? Why didn't you leave your names? Why did you just duck out?" He demanded, more curious now.

A hint of frustration flashed through Prue's eyes as if she thought the answer to that should have been obvious. "Because I wanted to avoid this." She responded, speaking

pointedly about their conversation. "I knew you would suspect us of being involved and we're not." Prue continued.

"Prue, don't you think it's a little coincidental you being a step ahead of death twice in one day. Then throw Paige into it…" Andy started but was abruptly cut off by Prue who had jumped up defiantly.

"What exactly are you implying?" Prue snapped, crossing her arms to emphasize her stance.

Andy didn't appear fazed. "Prue, if you were in my shoes, what would you think?" He countered.

Prue's eyes invariably flickered to Andy's shoes, which stood out against his clean cut pants. "First of all, nobody should be in those shoes…" She retorted with an almost teasing look of disgust.

"Told you." Darryl muttered under his breath, receiving an exasperated look from Andy.

"… But if I were I would never suspect you of having anything to do with these deaths." Prue finished.

Andy advanced a few steps toward her, his eyes narrowed in his own frustration. "Prue, five women your age have been scared to death since midnight, now, we go to talk to Paige and find her terrified in a car…"

"Paige?" Prue interrupted, her eyes widening in realization and worry. She immediately looked over her shoulder to where Paige was waiting behind the door. She hadn't even thought about why Paige was with Andy and Darryl.

"Yes, Paige, your youngest sister." Andy repeated as if she had forgotten. Prue sent him a dangerous glare that he ignored. "Then we show up here, hear you screaming, break in, and find you terrified in the shower…"

"I told you I had soap in my eyes." Prue returned sharply, pushing away her thoughts of her baby sister for the moment.

"That wasn't pain on your face, that was fear." Andy retorted.

Prue fell silent unable to deny his accusation. She silently cursed that he knew her so well.

Andy glanced behind him at Darryl who pointed to the door to the Solarium before he went to talk to Paige, leaving Andy and Prue in the Conservatory alone. There was another moment of silence while Andy slowly calmed down. "Look, don't tell me, but you're not the only one involved anymore. Your sister…" Andy nodded toward the door to the Solarium. "… Was in very real danger in that car. Did you ever think that he was still around the apartment when you and Paige showed up? That maybe he would follow you?" Andy trailed off and Prue, noticing that he wasn't done remained silent. "I know you didn't have soap in your eyes so if you don't want to tell me the truth, fine, but don't lie to me."

Prue sighed and looked away from his penetrating gaze. Why did this have to make her feel so damn guilty? "Andy…" She started and then hesitated, biting her lip slightly. "Andy, you can't help us." Prue replied softly.

Andy appeared surprised, not expecting such a straightforward answer from her. Then confused as he registered what she was saying. "Try me." He challenged just as softly. He watched her hopefully as Prue hesitated again, but her eyes were determined. She opened her mouth to elaborate when the front door slammed into the wall as Piper and Phoebe stormed into the house. Or Piper stormed, Phoebe followed with wide eyes. Prue jumped at the sound and looked away from Andy, who appeared annoyed by the interruption. It was obvious Prue wasn't going to say anything now. He could have punched the wall in frustration. He'd been so close to figuring something out…

Piper stalked through the Foyer, scouring all the rooms that she passed, even the closets as if she thought her sisters would be hiding from her. "Prue, Paige! Where are you? I can't believe you! You two are the most irresponsible…!"

"Hi, Andy!" Phoebe greeted loudly and with false enthusiasm as she and Piper round the corner into the room where Andy and Prue were. The door to the Solarium opened and Paige and Darryl came out, Paige tentatively. "Hey, Darryl!"

"Hi." Andy and Darryl returned with much less enthusiasm.

Piper had suddenly broken off upon hearing Phoebe's greeting before she said something that would give them away. She crossed her arms and was silently fuming, glaring daggers at Prue and Paige.

Phoebe at least tried to act as if everything was normal. "Uh, is everything okay?" She asked.

Prue nodded slightly, tearing her gaze from Andy. "Yeah, everything's fine. So, are we done?" Prue wondered, glancing toward Darryl.

"Yeah, we're done." Darryl allowed, heading for the front door.

Andy watched Prue for a few more moments, but she carefully avoided his eyes. He finally gave up and followed after his partner.

The four sisters didn't resume their conversation until they had heard the front door shut behind Andy.

"You two said you were going to stay together!" Piper ranted, the first to break the uneasy silence. "And what did you do? Prue almost drowns in the shower! What were you thinking?"

Paige was too overwhelmed by Piper's anger to point out that Piper had known Paige was going back to work after lunch and therefore remained silent until she decided she was going to have to her sisters about her meeting with the Demon of Fear. "Um… well, about that. I sorta had a run-in myself…" She admitted, bracing herself for the expected outburst.

The response was not what she had expected. It was deadly silent in the Halliwell Manor as all eyes turned from Prue to the youngest Halliwell sister.

"What?" Phoebe prompted after no one made any attempt to explain.

"I got in a car and he showed up." Paige mumbled so fast her sisters had to take several moments to decipher what she had said.

Piper glared at her sisters before moving to the wall and lightly hitting her head against it. "Great, that's just great. We almost had two sisters die in the matter of two hours. Two hours." She muttered, her voice softer but with an edge of hysteria.

Prue slowly left her place beside the couch and pulled Piper into a tight hug while Phoebe and Paige exchanged worried and slightly confused glances.

"I think we need to check the book again." Phoebe offered, earning three nods of agreement. Very slowly the four Halliwell sisters made their way upstairs, Piper still holding onto Prue as if her eldest sister would disappear if she let go.

~PO4~

Phoebe led the way into the attic with Paige following her and Prue and Piper trailing a couple of steps behind. "There has got to be something in the book about releasing fears. Maybe it's just not obvious." Phoebe insisted.

Paige joined her around the book while Prue hesitated just inside the attic. Prue's eyes flickered curiously around the attic while Piper stared at her as if she had gone crazy. "Do you guys smell that?" Prue asked, ignoring Piper's look.

"What?" Phoebe wondered distractedly as Paige flipped the pages in the Book of Shadows to Demon of Fear/Friday the 13th page.

Piper spoke up when Prue didn't immediately answer. "She thinks she smells Sandalwood." She explained, uncertain whether she was annoyed that Prue was so distant or concerned about the thoughts of their mother. Prue usually avoided those thoughts/topics at all costs.

Phoebe took a moment to inhale the air before Paige got her attention by pointing enthusiastically to the page. "No, I don't smell anything." Phoebe replied, her eyes falling to the book.

"Me either." Paige added, finally looking up to meet her older sisters' eyes.

Prue frowned and looked around the attic again. "Mom used to wear a fragrance like that." She mumbled. Her thoughts were abruptly cut off by Piper waving her hand in front of her sister's eyes.

"Snap out of it, Prue. I think the loss of oxygen from drowning must have messed you up." Piper decided, receiving a glare of annoyance from Prue.

"Wait, did she really?" Paige demanded eagerly, turning to Prue for more information on their mother.

Prue nodded but Phoebe stopped their conversation short. "Wait, I thought you guys said there was nothing in here about releasing your fears…" Phoebe started, glancing back up at them.

Paige and Prue exchanged a look of confusion. "There isn't." Paige stated but followed Phoebe's pointing finger to the last line. Prue and Piper crowded around on either side of their younger sisters.

"To let go of your fear, trust in the greatest of all powers." Phoebe read straight from the book.

"That wasn't there this morning." Prue explained.

Phoebe bit her lip slightly. "Well, maybe because all of the stress you've been under…"

"No, Phoebe, it wasn't there alright? It's in Mom's handwriting. I would have remembered it." Prue insisted a little more sharply than necessary.

"Okay, you two stop." Piper stepped in before a full-blown argument could erupt though she had a feeling Phoebe would have just dropped the subject this time. "Pheebs, is there anything else?" She asked.

Phoebe shook her head. Paige, appearing thoughtful at the newest line in the book, spoke up. "The greatest of all powers? What is that?" She wondered.

"Do you think it's the Power of Four?" Phoebe offered.

"No, I think that's too obvious besides there's nothing to even hint at the Power of Four." Piper disagreed lightly. All eyes turned to Prue, who obviously wasn't paying attention again.

"Prue? What is it?" Paige questioned, tilting her head to the side.

Prue slowly turned back to look at them. "It's like I can feel her presence."

Phoebe, Paige, and even Piper exchanged looks of concern. "Uh, maybe you should get dressed and go to Bucklands." Phoebe suggested, carefully closing the Book of Shadows.

"No, I don't really think I'm up to that." Prue argued softly with a slight shake of her head.

"Phoebe is right. You're going to Bucklands unless you want to come with me and Paige and sit at the restaurant." Piper decided, leaving no room for argument.

Paige frowned and didn't appear too happy with the arrangements. "I'm going with you? How come Prue gets to go back to work and I can't?" She whined, crossing her arms indignantly.

"For one, because I'm late getting back to work and I need you to orb me. Two, I can't keep tabs on you like I can her. Three, you're younger and I don't trust you as much." Piper listed off, grabbing Paige's arm. "Oh and Prue, don't even think about not going to Bucklands because I'll know." She warned. "Now, let's go." Piper ordered after gaining a small nod from Prue while Phoebe watched with amusement.

Paige sighed loudly and the two disappeared amidst orbs for Quake.

"Ugh… I really don't want to go to Bucklands." Prue lamented as soon as the orbs disappeared. She leaned against the stand that the book was on and dropped her head into her hands.

Phoebe smiled encouragingly. "Well, you said that he disappeared once Andy got there so maybe he only attacks when you're alone. When your fear is greatest."

"Yeah, you're right." Prue grudgingly admitted.

"Of course I am. Now stay away from water, any water, don't even drink it." Phoebe ordered.

"Don't worry." Prue agreed, absentmindedly running her fingers through a stretch of hair that had turned white during the incident with Barbas.

"I think it's getting darker." Phoebe offered cheerfully.

Prue smiled gratefully at her little sister. She couldn't tell if Phoebe was just saying it to make her feel better or not but either way it worked. "Thanks, I guess I'll go now." She decided, taking her time with walking out the attic door.

Phoebe watched her for a moment but as Prue reached the door she couldn't resist from calling after her. "I love you."

"Me too." Prue answered.

"How come you do that?" Phoebe asked, stopping Prue in her tracks.

Prue turned around to face her with a confused expression. "Do what?"

"You never say 'I love you' to me." Phoebe explained.

"I just did." She pointed out, her look of confusion deepening.

"No, you just said 'me too.' And you never say it to Piper or Paige either. Have you ever said 'I love you' to anybody?" Phoebe wondered curiously.

Prue hesitated a moment and avoided Phoebe's gaze before slowly meeting it again. "Yeah, I said it to Mom. It was the last thing I said to her before she died." She admitted softly.

Understanding clouded Phoebe's gaze and she immediately stepped forward and pulled her eldest sister into tight and comforting embrace.

~PO4~

Quake

Piper leaned against the bar with the phone to her ear as she called the produce that was supposed to be bringing in a shipment of clams that had yet to arrive. They were already two hours late and were needed. Paige had her head down on the bar, bored out of her mind as she wasn't allowed to do anything. Piper was still mad at her and knew the perfect way to 'punish' her youngest sister was to make her sit down and be quiet. It would drive her insane.

"The shipment was supposed to be here two hours ago. Is it even on its way yet?" Piper demanded. She fell silent as the person on the other end assured her that they should be there within the hour. "Thanks." Piper replied shortly and hung up before they could answer.

Paige glanced up with a hopeful expression in her brown eyes. "You know, I could just orb over there and get the shipment…" She started.

"No." Piper interrupted and Paige laid her head back down in defeat. Piper turned her attention to the cash register as one of the waitresses brought over a bill folder. She placed the charge, handed it back to the waitress, and proceeded to close the cash register when the end of her nail got caught. She yelped and jumped back as her nail broke painfully.

"I'll go get a band aid!" Paige decided enthusiastically upon noting the minuscule amount crimson blood on Piper's injured finger. She dashed off before Piper could object.

Piper glared after Paige until the youngest Halliwell had disappeared among the crowd. She had a distinct feeling that Paige probably would not come back from getting the band aid for at least thirty minutes. It was more like forty five minutes before her youngest sister came back. Paige handed the band aid to her with the most innocent smile she could muster and didn't even try to make up an excuse for why it took her that long to find the first aid kit.  
Piper snatched the bandage from Paige and wrapped it gingerly around her finger thought the bleeding had long since stopped. "Come on." She ordered, grabbing Paige and pulling her along. They turned the corner but as soon as Piper's eyes landed on Lucas she abruptly turned, nearly knocking Paige over with the sudden change in direction.

"Oh, I forgot to ask. How's the guy?" Paige wondered, a mischievous glint in her eyes as she looked over at the cause for Piper's sudden turn.

Piper appeared as if she was debating answering the question or not since she was supposed to be giving Paige the cold shoulder but she eventually replied. "I have a date with him after work." She admitted.

"Really? What about the superstition? Given up on it?" Paige teased. She grunted softly as she walked into Piper again, who had stopped too suddenly for a reaction on Paige's part. Paige looked around Piper to see one of the waitresses dressed in a black cat outfit and she had to resist the urge to roll her eyes.

"Oh, uh, do me a favor and walk behind me so you don't cross my path." Piper ordered lightly, carefully maneuvering the surprised waitress around her and Paige.

The waitress nodded in understanding. "Okay." She agreed, her eyes light with amusement. She turned and started to walk away.

"Wait!" Piper called after her. She kneeled down to pick up the waitresses 'tail.' Her skirt ripped and she took several moments to control her rising frustration with the day. "You dropped your tail." She explained, offering it to the waitress, who gratefully took it. She rounded on Paige. "Don't say anything." Piper snapped.

Paige let out a cough that sounded distinctly like a giggle. "Well, so much for giving up on the superstitions." Paige commented.

Piper ignored her and headed for the kitchens. "Don't you have a boyfriend or something?" She asked.

"Uh, yeah, but you're the one that's confined me to within three feet of you for the rest of the day… which reminds me… I'm not going to have to sit and watch your date, am I?" Paige wondered, biting her lip at the unpleasant thought.

"No, when Prue gets home you're going to go sit with her. She's learned her lesson now so you two should be able to get through a couple hours without having near-death experiences." Piper answered. "Now, you didn't really answer my question. Where's Alex?"

Paige shrugged in response to the former of Piper's comments before processing her question. "He had classes all day today. That's why I spent last night at his place." She replied. She glanced down at her watch and then looked hopefully up at Piper. "Actually, he has an hour break so can I just go call him? I won't leave the restaurant, I swear." Paige pleaded raising her hand in the air pointedly in a 'promise' sign.

"Fine, go." Piper relieved her and pushed her way into the kitchen while trying to fix her skirt where the rip was visible. With Paige gone she went to her box of good-luck charms and pulled out a note card with a spell she had made up.

"Are you okay?" The waiter, Doug, asked her curiously, recognizing her edginess.

Piper jumped in surprise and quickly dropped the note card to her side so he couldn't read it. "Uh, me?"

Doug nodded, watching her curiously. "Yeah, you just seem kind of… I don't know… tense." He remarked with a shrug.

Piper sighed and allowed herself to let out a little of her frustration since he had asked. "Well, it just seems that since I've agreed to have dinner with Lucas I've had a run of bad luck. I broke a nail, the shipment of clams is late, I had to fire a hostess, and I just ripped my skirt." She ranted and silently added. Not to mention two of my sisters were almost scared to death. Also, after I agreed to go out with Lucas. Piper, really, it's not the guys fault. Drop the stupid superstitions… Prue as well as snapped in return to Piper's train of thought. I'm still not talking to you. Go away. Piper retorted just as sharply. She could almost feel Prue roll her eyes but her eldest sister heeded her request. She slowly turned her attention back to what Doug was saying. Something about Friday the 13th. Piper was saved from having to reply by one of the cooks calling Doug back to work. Piper walked to a nearby stove bringing her spell and bundle of sage with her. She lit the end of the sage with the flames on the stove and held it in the air while she chanted.

"Sage so fair, from far and wide  
Take my troubles and brush the aside."

The smoke from the burning sage sent the fire alarm off and Piper hastily tried to douse the small flame by sticking it in the boiling water on the stove. As she did, the tips of her fingers were submerged, effectively burning her fingers. "Ow!" She screeched, placing the sage down.

Around her the kitchen became more chaotic with cooks yelling out "Is there a fire? Where's the smoke coming from?" and "Is it malfunctioning?" etc.

"This is just not my day!" Piper exclaimed.

~PO4~

SWA Properties

Phoebe sat at the desk, absentmindedly flipping through some papers. She glanced up when she heard the door open and a man walked in. "Hi, may I help you?" Phoebe asked professionally and cheerfully at the same time.

The man continued looking around him for several moments before turning to Phoebe. "Hi, I was looking for Susan." He explained.

"Oh, she's not here right now, but I can tell her you came by." Phoebe offered, reaching out for the notepad and a pen. "What's your name?"

"Richard Warner." He answered with a half-smile.

Phoebe froze, her eyes widening ever-so-slightly as she recognized his last name. "Oh, you're Susan's husband." Phoebe realized nervously.

He laughed softly. "Unless she's got one I don't know about." Richard joked.

Phoebe forced a laugh and carefully avoided his eyes. "No, no, you can't have another husband." She laughed awkwardly.

Richard nodded and again looked around the room as if he expected to see Susan around. "I thought I'd surprise her and take her to dinner. Do you know where she is?" He wondered.

"Yes… she… went out." Phoebe answered cryptically.

"Okay, well, I think we've established that." Richard chuckled softly. "Do you know where?" He clarified.

Phoebe played with her hands nervously trying to decide what she was going to say. "Uh, well, she… it's actually very interesting… she, uh…" Phoebe stammered before slamming her pen down on the desk in her frustration. "I can't do this." She decided, standing up from her seat.

"I don't understand." Richard admitted, watching Phoebe with eyes narrowed in curiosity. Phoebe glanced up from gathering her stuff together. "I'm sorry, Mr. Warner, but I can't be the assistant your wife wants without compromising my beliefs and I just won't do that."

"Wait a minute, slow down." Richard suggested lightly.

"Don't worry about the office. I will lock up." Phoebe assured him as she picked up the pad and pen again. This time to write a note to Susan about quitting. "Susan." She started, writing her name down on the pad. She was broken from her thoughts by Richard.

Richard had taken a step forward and there wasn't a hint of confusion in his eyes as would have been expected. "Thank you." He appreciated.

Phoebe stopped thinking about her note and glanced over at Richard in confusion. "For what?" She asked.

"For not lying to me about Susan's affair." He explained.

Phoebe sighed and looked at him sympathetically. "You knew?"

Richard shrugged and looked away from Phoebe. "I've tried denying it for some time now, but I guess there comes a time when you have to face the truth."

"I'm so sorry." Phoebe offered sadly.

"Don't be and listen, don't quit on my behalf." Richard pleaded.

Phoebe smiled gratefully but shook her head. "I'm not." She assured him. He smiled once more before turning away and leaving Phoebe alone in the office. Phoebe watched him leave and only turned away from the door when the phone rang. Slowly she reached out for it. "SWA properties." She answered.

A woman's voice answered her on the other end of the phone. "Hello, may I speak to Susan?"

"Uh, no, she's not in right now. Can I take a message?" Phoebe offered, glancing down at the pen and pad again.

The woman's answering voice sounded irritated. "This is Mrs. Joffee. I'm outside a house Susan's supposed to show me and she's not here." She ranted.

Phoebe hesitated a moment. "Uh, well, I'm sorry, but she must have forgotten. She's out for the rest of the day." Phoebe informed her sympathetically.

"Can anybody help me? I flew in from LA just to see this house. I'm under a terrible deadline to move from my other house." Mrs. Joffee pleaded.

"Uh, no one's here…" Phoebe started and then trailed off as she had an idea. "… But since you flew in and all, I guess I can show you the property. What's the address?"

'Mrs. Joffee's Property'

Phoebe walked up to the large and obviously expensive house looking around for Mrs. Joffee. Upon not seeing her in the front she decided that Mrs. Joffee might have taken it upon herself to walk around the house and get a feel for the yard. Phoebe pushed the gate to the back of the house and the open pool. "Mrs. Joffee?" She called loudly. There was no response as Phoebe continued her way through the yard. "Mrs. Joffee? SWA Properties." Phoebe tried again.  
"Hello, dear." Mrs. Joffee's voice turned Phoebe to her left. Phoebe's eyes widened when she saw not Mrs. Joffee but Barbas. "Thanks so much for coming out." Barbas finished, his voice transforming from Mrs. Joffee's into his own halfway through.

Phoebe immediately turned away in an attempt to leave but Barbas grabbed her arm and tightly prevented her from running off. "Let go or I'll scream." Phoebe threatened, trying to hide the fear in her voice.

Barbas smiled, appearing as if he would not object to her plan. "Go ahead, I could use the fix." He allowed. Barbas held her still long enough to wave his hand over her face.

"I know how you kill. There are no elevators around here." Phoebe snapped defiantly.

Barbas resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the 'far-off fear' of the third Halliwell sister. "Elevators? You think that's what your greatest fear is? You mortals need to look deeper." He scoffed. "Where the real truth lies, your greatest fear is losing a sister and I get two for one."

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

"He's only a threat until midnight." Prue assured the person on the other end of the phone. There was a pause as the person replied and Prue leaned back in her chair behind her desk. "Alright, well take care, and don't look into any closets until then." She trailed off as her phone began beeping, announcing that someone else was calling her. "Okay, look, I gotta go, somebody's calling me. Bye." Prue pressed the 'next line' button. "Hello?"

"Prue, its Phoebe. I got stuck at a house I was showing. Can you come and get me?" Phoebe's voice carried through the line.

Prue was silent for a moment thinking about why Phoebe was calling her and not calling for Paige, who would be a lot quicker. That was until she remembered Piper and her strict hold on Paige for the rest of the day. "Yeah, sure. Where are you?" Prue agreed, reaching for a piece of paper and a pen to write the address down.

"I'm at 3112 Nappa Street." Phoebe answered.

"Alright, I'm on my way." Prue replied, hanging up the phone and grabbing her stuff together.

~PO4~

Barbas hung up the phone, obviously having been imitating Phoebe's voice to lure Prue out here. He glanced back at where he'd left Phoebe, bound and gagged, on the bench near the pool.

San Francisco Police Department

Paige orbed into the back parking lot of the police department. She walked casually out from the shadows, that had successfully hid her power, and across the parking lot. She was satisfied that anyone watching her would believe she'd parked in the back. Piper had finally let her leave the restaurant just before her date had started, telling her to wait for Prue  
at home. However, she wasn't really in the mood to sit in the old, creaky house by herself for several hours so here she was, walking through the hallways loaded with 'wanted' pictures, 'missing' pictures, and lots of officers with cups of coffee.

Andy spotted Paige before she had seen him and promptly veered away from his former destination, his desk, to meet her. "Hey, Squirt." He called over the bustling people. He was a little surprised to see Paige but he was never upset to see one of the Halliwell sisters around… unless they were in trouble, which seemed to happen much more often than it should.

Paige turned away from one of the 'wanted' posters that had caught her eye and saw Andy approaching her. "Andy, will you please stop calling me 'Squirt?'" She begged for the hundredth time.

"I can't. It's like your official name." He countered with a laugh at the annoyed look she shot him. Andy nodded his head in the direction of his desk, silently inviting Paige out of the hallway. He took a sip of his coffee and led the way. "You feeling better?" Andy asked over his shoulder. He tried to ask it casually but he was sure it wouldn't fool Paige.

"Uh, yeah…" Paige mumbled and quickly changed the subject before Andy could ask something more specific. "I was just coming to talk to your boss." She explained seriously, though if he thought about it Andy would have put the trademark innocent smile that Paige Matthews was known for with her comment.

As it was, Andy had been in the process of swinging a comfortable chair out for Paige to sit in and missed the smile that would have given it away. He froze and stared at her for several long moments. "What?" He questioned in confusion.

"Yeah, I was just thinking that I needed to get you promoted or something so you can make more money. I mean, the fact that you've been keeping up with us for this long is very commendable, but more importantly you need to start saving up for my birthday so you can get me an awesome present." Paige answered, her voice was still serious but it was all part of the joke and Andy quickly caught on.

He rolled his eyes and sat down in his own chair while Paige dropped into hers. "Your birthday is not for five months." Andy pointed out casually. He purposely avoided the first comment. Paige's 'us' referring to her and her sisters. He figured he would never get a straight answer out of her. Every other attempt had thus far failed.

Paige shrugged as if that was beside the point. "Andy, your twenty first birthday is very important. You should know this." She argued, failing to hide her smile.

"Sorry, I forgot." Andy apologized sarcastically. "So, since you're not here to see the Captain, what are you here for?"

"Are you trying to get rid of me already?" Paige asked, feigning hurt at the insensitive question. "Sorry, dude, but I couldn't badger Prue so I came to the next best alternative." She explained.

"And that alternative happens to be me." Andy guessed with another good-natured roll of his eyes. Paige nodded enthusiastically, giving him another innocent smile. Slightly relieved that nothing else was the matter today, he turned his attention to the papers that were scattered across his desk. "Why couldn't you annoy Prue this time?" He wondered curiously.

Paige took the question as 'Is Prue alright?' which is what he really meant. "She's fine. Piper let her go to work."

Andy shook his head in disbelief. "She went to work?" He repeated. Now that he thought about it, he shouldn't have been surprised. Silly him, nearly getting killed by a psycho was no reason not to go to work.

"Believe me; she got the better end of the deal. I wish I could have gone back to work. I had to sit with Piper all day. Guess what she had me do around the restaurant…" Paige ordered dramatically.

Andy shrugged. He had a hard time picturing Piper making her sisters do anything around the restaurant seeing as none of them were good with the food-related industry. Piper was the only to inherit that gene apparently. "What?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I just had to stay within three feet of her the entire day! I only got off because she had a date." Paige exclaimed. She took a moment to compose herself and glanced back at Andy. "You won't tell her I came by, will you? She'll probably kill me if she finds out I didn't go straight home, but the Manor is kinda creepy when you're by yourself." She looked hopefully at Andy, who smiled in agreement.

"I won't say a word, but if she finds out…" Andy trailed off pointedly. His smile widened at seeing how furious Piper had been earlier in the day but it definitely wasn't one of his lifetime aspirations to be on the receiving end of her anger. Prue was bad enough but he had a feeling that if really pushed, Piper could rival the eldest Halliwell.

Paige seemed to know exactly what he was thinking. "Yeah, she was scary. You should see her when we run into a de…" Paige cut off abruptly, just stopping herself from saying it.

Andy had looked up at her and was watching her closely obviously trying to figure out what she had been about to say. Paige searched frantically for a new topic and her eyes landed on the wanted poster that had caught her eye before. 

"Uh, who's that?" She asked, pointing at a copy of it on Andy's desk.

Andy looked a little reluctant to leave the former conversation but slowly lowered his eyes to the picture on his desk. "The usual killer. We're still searching for a name." He answered. He looked up at Paige thoughtfully. "Why? Do you recognize him?"

She did recognize him… not that she would tell that to Andy. At least not right now. "I don't know… can I borrow a copy?" Paige questioned hesitantly.

Andy didn't say anything but handed the paper to her, his eyes now had guarded suspicion. He knew she was lying, but also knew it was just another one of those things that would never get answered so he didn't bother asking.

"Thanks." Paige offered, hurriedly standing to her feet. "Uh, Prue should be home soon so I better get back before she calls Piper about me and then they all freak out because I'm not there." She lied casually. "See ya' later, Andy. Thanks for the chat." She called over her shoulder.

Andy waved and watched her leave before slowly looking back down at his work. Now, however, he had no hopes of focusing on it.

~PO4~

Quake

"I can't remember when I've enjoyed a dinner more. I'm so glad you suggested this." Piper remarked. Piper sat across from Lucas at one of the 'couple' tables of the restaurant, their just-finished desserts sitting to the side.

Lucas appeared thoughtful at the comment. "You know, I almost didn't." He admitted, though his voice portrayed that he was glad he had.

Piper tilted her head to side curiously. "Really?" She prompted hopefully.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sensitive to people's feelings and I got the sense this morning that you were totally turned off to me." Lucas explained.

"How odd." Piper commented, thinking his explanation over carefully. "So what's it like being one of the city's most eligible bachelors?" She decided to ask instead of pursuing the former topic. Piper was still a little suspicious. Everything seemed perfect which usually meant it wasn't.

Lucas laughed at the memory of the title. "That magazine article was so lame. I'm, uh, really a very simple guy. I value home and hearth, I'd like to settle down, have kids. I have two nieces I'm crazy about. I even carry pictures of them." He laughed softly, self-conscious about how he sounded.

Piper listened to him with a smile but as soon as he finished she threw her hand out, freezing him and the rest of the room. "You sound too good to be true." She decided.

Carefully leaning forward she reached into his inside jacket pockets and pulled out his wallet. Piper flipped it open and flipped through his pictures until he found them. At least she assumed it was them as there was a small piece of paper next to it that read 'I love Uncle Lucas.' "You are too good to be true." Piper realized. She smiled softly and leaned back forward to put his wallet back. He unfroze just as she dropped his wallet back in and he looked at her in confusion. 

"Lint." Piper lied quickly. "You had a little lint."

"Oh, thanks." Lucas appreciated.

"So your instinct about me this morning was right. I was kinda sending out negative vibes." She admitted, deciding now was as good a time as any to open up.

"Why?" Lucas asked curiously.

Piper hesitated for a second before explaining. "Well, there's this superstition that any relationship started on Friday the 13th is doomed so I was determined to avoid you but then there's this other superstition about finding your ideal mate…"

"Wait a minute." Lucas interrupted, trying to keep up with her. "You were gonna reject me because of a superstition but then decided that I was worth going out with only because of another superstition?" He repeated carefully.

"Yeah." Piper admitted, laughing a little at how it sounded.

"Well, doesn't say much for me then, does it?" Lucas asked rhetorically. He was more than a little turned off by her admission.

Piper hastily tried to relieve the new tension between them. "Oh, um, it's that…" She started but was cut off by Lucas.

"Look, I'm sure you're very nice but someone that let things like superstitions or omens determine their lives… well, I just had an experience like that with my last girlfriend and it was a disaster. I'm looking for someone who's just not into that stuff. I'm sorry." Lucas apologized, abruptly bringing an end to their date.

Piper was left speechless at the table.

~PO4~

'Mrs. Joffee's Property'

Prue pulled her car up next to the SWA company van that Phoebe must have drove here. The door to the house was locked so she turned to the gated back yard. "Phoebe?" She called loudly, reaching out to open the gate.

"I'm in the backyard. You won't believe the view from here." Phoebe's answering voice yelled from behind the house.

Prue pushed the gate open and walked through the huge backyard. "Pheebs, where are you? Phoebe?" She tried again when she still couldn't locate her younger sister. She stopped on the patio of the pool and took in her surroundings. Prue froze as her eyes met her sister's wide brown eyes where Phoebe was sitting, still bound and forced silent. She glanced back to her left and met Barbas.

"Isn't that a great view?" Barbas asked, imitating Phoebe's voice. "Bring your suit?" Prue gasped and tried to move away as she realized his intentions. Barbas stepped forward and promptly pushed her backwards into the pool.

Phoebe jumped up from the bench as Prue hit the water and vainly struggled with the binds restraining her hands while Prue tried to slip out of her jacket that was pulling her down and inhibiting her efforts to swim.

"That's right. Feed me your fear." Barbas laughed, watching Prue as she failed to break through the water. Prue stopped struggling in the water and Barbas turned back to Phoebe.

The dizzying darkness swept over Prue but she suddenly noticed the light that surrounded her. Despite how close she was to dying she felt safe and she could swear she heard a familiar voice that meant so much to her. She could even see her. She was sure it was her.

"Prue. You must face your fears, Prue. You must trust in the greatest of all powers. Love." Her mother explained gently.

"Mom?" Prue wondered silently.

"Save yourself. Save your sister." Her mother encouraged her. Patti reached her hand out to her eldest daughter. "Don't be afraid."

Prue grabbed hold of her mother's hand and felt herself rising as she was pulled up through the water. Her head broke the surface and she gasped for air. She reached the edge of the pool and she turned furious eyes on the demon. "It's over." Prue snapped, sending a blast of telekinesis that sent Barbas through the air to land heavily on the ground. She pulled herself out of the pool and advanced upon him.

"Your fear." Barbas tried in disbelief while pushing himself to his feet.

"I'm not afraid anymore." Prue returned.

"No!" Barbas yelled as he began to glow red. Barbas exploded and was pulled back into purgatory. The rope binding Phoebe disappeared, releasing her from Barbas.

Prue slowly turned away from where Barbas was vanquished and toward Phoebe, only to nearly be tackled to the ground as her younger sister threw her arms around her.

"Oh my god, I was so scared." Phoebe exclaimed, clinging to Prue and not loosening her grip. Not that Prue would have actually let her go either.

"I know. I'm just glad you're safe." Prue whispered.

"I don't know what would happen if I ever lost you." Phoebe admitted, burying her face in her sister's shoulder. "I love you."

Prue didn't even hesitate. "I love you." The two finally pulled away and on the way home, laughed about how they were going to break the news to Piper.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper sat in front of the fire, irritably tossing her good-luck charms into the fire while Paige watched her from where she was sprawled along the couch.

"You know, if you didn't want them you could have given them to me…" Paige tried to break the silence and the tension that was practically radiating off Piper. So far she hadn't even figured out what had happened.

Piper just sent a glare over her shoulder at Paige and the silence ensued for several more minutes until the front door opened, closed, and Prue and Phoebe finally came in.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Phoebe asked cheerfully, but frowned upon seeing Paige's warning glance.

Paige sat up and leaned toward Prue and Phoebe. "I think her date went badly." She whispered and dropped back down on the couch as if nothing had happened.

There was another moment of silence before Piper actually answered Phoebe's question. "Kicking myself. I just lost probably the greatest catch in San Francisco." She muttered, flicking another of her good-luck necklaces into the fire.

Prue watched the uncharacteristic movement curiously. "What happened?" She wondered carefully.

"He doesn't like women who rely on superstitions to make decisions and I'm not so sure he's wrong." Piper admitted with a loud sigh.

Prue, Phoebe, and Paige exchanged glances, silently agreeing to change the subject. Phoebe was the one to take up the challenge. "So, Prue vanquished the Demon of Fear." She announced enthusiastically.

Paige's mouth dropped in surprise, Piper whirled around in disbelief, and Prue laughed softly at their reactions. "Well, at least put him back in the bottle for another 1300 years." Prue offered.

"You vanquished the Demon of Fear?" Paige repeated, trying to find a hint of a lie in their eyes.

Phoebe nodded and Piper jumped to speak. "Wait, how? And how come I didn't know this? You promised you'd keep me informed!"

"I didn't feel like stalking your date. That's just…" Prue trailed off with a pointed look.

Piper opened her mouth to retort but Paige beat her to it. "Argue with her later." Paige snapped in Piper's direction before turning eagerly to Prue and Phoebe. "What happened?" She demanded.

Phoebe grinned and glanced at Prue for permission to start the explanation. "Well, he pushed her into a pool and…" She nodded for Prue to finish, not entirely sure what to say after that.

"…And Mom helped me out." Prue finished.

"Mom?" Piper asked in confusion.

Prue hastily jumped to defend herself. "I know it sounds crazy but I saw her. It was just like my dream. She was this incredible vision, so peaceful and she took my hand and brought me to the surface." Prue explained.

"It's not crazy. It's magic." Paige assured her cheerfully.

Prue appeared more at ease but glanced over at Piper as if worried by her reaction.

Piper smiled and shrugged. "It doesn't sound crazy. I wish I could have seen her." She sighed wistfully.

"Me too." Phoebe agreed whole-heartedly.

"I'm just glad you're alright." Piper added, running forward and hugging Prue tightly.

Phoebe leaned forward expectantly, earning a curious look from Paige.

Phoebe got her wish when Prue finally spoke. "I love you."

Piper tensed and pulled back, staring at Prue as if she'd gone insane, but she couldn't hide the smile that was spreading across her face. "What did you just say?" Piper asked, glancing at Paige, who was staring with wide eyes and looked as if she was restraining herself from bouncing forward.

"I love you." Prue repeated, rolling her eyes at their surprise.

Piper's grin widened and she looked triumphantly back at her little sisters before meeting Prue's eyes again. "That's the first time you've ever said that to me." She realized.

"I know. I wish I'd said it a long time ago." Prue admitted before allowing her eyes to flicker over to Paige. "I love you too, Missy Paige."

Paige squealed in delight and shot forward off the couch throwing her arms around both Piper and Prue. "I love you too. Come on, Phoebe, join the hug." She ordered, grabbing Phoebe's arm and pulling her giggling older sister into their group hug.

After several moments, Piper finally broke from the hug, allowing Prue to actually breathe. "Don't worry. We're not going anywhere." Piper promised.

Prue nodded and untangled herself from Phoebe and Paige. "Okay, you guys. I'm exhausted. I'll see you three in the morning."

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige watched her leave before Piper turned back to the two of them. "What happened to her in that pool?" She wondered aloud.

"I was hoping you would know." Paige replied, slowly taking her eyes away from where Prue had disappeared up the stairs.

Phoebe shrugged and Piper appeared at a loss. "I don't know, but whatever it was, it must have been incredible." Phoebe decided.

~PO4~

Instead of going to her room, Prue climbed the stairs to the attic and sat down in the big arm chair with the Book of Shadows opened to the Demon of Fear page. Her hand traced the curvy writing that was her mother's handwriting. As she watched a new line appeared at the bottom.

Thanks for letting them into your heart.

Prue smiled, a watery smile as she knew it could only have been her mother. "I miss you, Mom." She whispered to the silent room.


	27. Secrets and Guys (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the reviews. They were very enlightening and I enjoyed reading them and took everything into consideration. Now, instead of listening to me ramble, enjoy the chapter and please review afterwards.

Secrets and Guys

Mr. Franklin and Max's House

Mr. Franklin walked from the kitchen into the living room with two plates of pizza in his hands. He stopped in front of his son, who was seated on the couch where he was watching television, and passed one of the plates to him. Mr. Franklin sat down on the other side of the couch and relaxed back into it. He opened his mouth to begin conversation but instead they both jumped at the sound of their door being kicked in and slamming against the wall.

"Max!" Mr. Franklin yelled, standing up and trying to place himself between the two men, that had just ran into their house, and his son.

The apparent leader of the two masked thugs threw Mr. Franklin into an armchair across the room while the other grabbed hold of a stunned Max. Mr. Franklin desperately kept his eyes on his son and tried to get back to him, hardly aware of the gun that was pointed at his head. "Don't move, don't breathe! Just listen!" The thug with the gun snapped. The clicking of the gun as he cocked it effectively gained Mr. Franklin's horrified attention. "We're gonna be borrowing your kid. We need him just for a day. If you're smart, you will not call the cops. We will have him home safe and sound, first thing Monday morning, ready for school. Do you understand?" He demanded.

Mr. Franklin's eyes flickered to Max, who was struggling in the other thug's grasp. He looked back at the masked leader and nodded vigorously. "Yes, yeah." He agreed, praying they were telling the truth.

"Just our little secret?" He pressed, the pointed gun leaving little room for argument.

"Yeah." Mr. Franklin repeated.

Receiving his answer, the thug slammed his gun into the side of Mr. Franklin's head. Mr. Franklin slumped, unconscious back into the armchair. The leader waved at his conspirator to take the boy out and followed easily after them.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper reached into one of the large boxes that surrounded the four sisters and took up the majority of the space in the attic. She pulled out an etch-a-sketch and looked at it thoughtfully for several moments before deciding on a particular pile and dropping it among the other toys.

"Can I just say I'm actually enjoying this?" Phoebe spoke up suddenly. She sat next to Piper in a fold-out lawn chair staring at her freshly painted nails with Prue sprawled casually in her own chair next to her. Paige, who was sitting on the floor and leaning against Prue's chair reading a book, glanced up at Phoebe with a short laugh.

"That's because we're not doing anything." Piper retorted, voicing Paige's silent thought.

Phoebe feigned a look of disbelief directed toward Piper and Paige. "Not true. I've painted my fingers and my toes." She pointed out with an air of the utmost importance.

Prue's eyes flickered from one sister to the next while her hands played with the zipper on her jacket. "I just hope this doesn't fall under the 'personal gain' category."

"How could it? A good witch is a clean witch." Piper decided, shrugging off the idea of personal gain.

"Why do I feel like we're biased because we don't feel like cleaning?" Paige asked a little absently as she didn't take her eyes off her book.

Phoebe sent a playful glare toward Paige, which the younger Halliwell sister missed. "Don't say that. Prue might have second thoughts." She scolded playfully before turning to

Prue with a face of mock seriousness as if Paige's comment hadn't even been spoken. "I think we should spring clean like this more often. You go girl!" Phoebe added encouragingly with a grin to her eldest sister.

Prue rolled her eyes before focusing on the objects scattered around the messy attic. With narrow-eyed concentration open drawers were shut, the trunks opened and several items flew into them before closing and sliding back against the wall, the mirror was scrubbed clean, toys and books were organized along a shelf, trophies were suspended in air while the duster cleaned under them, and the mop and broom set to work cleaning the floors.

Piper laughed and nodded appreciatively. "Good job, Prue."

Prue nodded vaguely in Piper's direction. Prue blinked and all the supplies disappeared from the attic, later to be found in their correct places on the main floor. She jumped slightly as Paige hit her leg to gain her attention.

"Hey, you never told me what that was." Paige reminded her, speaking pointedly of Prue's disappearing and reappearing objects power.

"Oh, telematerialization." She answered as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Though, in their house this talk probably was.

Phoebe appeared thoughtful for several moments. "Wow, you really got the 'tele' powers. Telekinesis, Telepathy, Telematerialization, all you need now is Teleportation." She quipped cheerfully.

"Her telepathy is very limited so I'm not sure if it counts." Piper pointed out mildly.

"Okay, well, it could grow into full-fledged telepathy." Phoebe countered.

Prue didn't appear particularly happy with the thought. "I feel like that would be more trouble than it's worth. Piper's bad enough."

"Is it really telepathy? I kinda thought it didn't work both ways…" Paige mumbled with a shrug.

"Well, whatever you want to call it… I still think it has potential to be telepathy." Phoebe continued her argument.

Paige shrugged again. "Fine, but Prue can't get teleportation because that's my power." She decided, sending a pointed look toward Prue.

Prue threw her hands up innocently. "I don't choose them, but I assure you, you're probably safe in that aspect." She allowed with the slightest of nods.

"Hey look, more toys!" Piper announced excitedly. "I told you Grams wouldn't throw them away." She continued in her 'I told you so' voice.

"Yeah, but we will. Why don't you just put that stuff in the discard pile?" Prue suggested absently.

"Wait, what's in there?" Phoebe asked curiously, leaning forward in her chair for a better look as Piper pulled some of the toys out.

Piper stared a little condescendingly at stuffed animals and dolls that she pulled out. "Stuffed animals without eye balls. Dollies that look like they've been through the mill once or twice…" Piper replied, laughing softly as she tossed the particularly sad looking ones in the discard pile. "Oh, and looky here, Ms. Phoebe's diaries."

Phoebe's mouth dropped and she reached eagerly for them. "The place where I kept all my secrets… Give me those." Prue and Piper exchanged a glance while Paige snorted at Phoebe's comment. "What?" She asked innocently.

"The place where you kept your secrets?" Prue quoted in disbelief.

Phoebe hardly glanced up but nodded quickly as she opened the first diary.

"Phoebe, you could never keep a secret." Piper pointed out with a laugh.

Phoebe looked up in offense. "Oh that is so not true." She disagreed, thinking back for some actual proof.

Paige looked up briefly from her book to look at her sisters. "Actually, she did keep Prue's surprise birthday party a secret." She offered, sounding impressed that Phoebe had actually managed it.

Prue and Piper exchanged another glance before Piper started giggling softly. "Guess again." Prue returned with a faint smile and looking expectantly at Paige, who's smile suddenly fell.

"You knew?" She asked with wide eyes. Prue nodded with a look of feigned sympathy. Paige's eyes narrowed dangerously at Phoebe, who was skillfully avoiding her younger sister's gaze. "You swore you wouldn't tell her." Paige snapped. "Diary." She called. The diary in Phoebe's hands disappeared and reappeared above her where it dropped onto Phoebe's head before she could react.

Phoebe rubbed her head gingerly and snatched her diary back up. "I'm sorry, okay. It was an accident." She apologized hastily before Paige got the idea to drop something heavier on her.

Piper suddenly burst out laughing. "Yeah, 'I know something you don't know.' It was a real accident."

"I say we keep all the toys." Phoebe abruptly changed the subject as she finally looked up to meet Paige's eyes.

"Subject changer." Prue accused playfully.

"For our children, for our future." Phoebe continued, ignoring Prue's jibe for the moment.

Paige nodded slowly in agreement and, a little reluctantly, turned back to her book.

"That's a good idea." Piper agreed, appearing thoughtful.

"Well, you can get rid of mine." Prue announced. Piper looked up at Prue with narrowed eyes, Phoebe stared at her in disbelief, and Paige nearly dropped her book in surprise.

"What?" Prue wondered, her eyes flickering nervously from one sister to the next. "It's just that, you know, we live in a world with so much violence and then you add the evil demons and it's a pretty scary place to raise kids in. Besides, I don't really think I'm cut out to be a mom." She explained to their wondering stares.

Piper shook her head at her older sister's last comment. "How can you say that?" She questioned, a not-so-subtle reminder that Prue had definitely stepped up to care for them after their mother drowned.

Prue bit her lip, preferring to leave the conversation until later. "Why don't we have this conversation later? Like, say five years?"

"Good." Piper reluctantly dropped the subject until she heard the alarm from the kitchen go off. "Ooh, oooh, I think dinner's burning. Phoebe, lend me a hand." She ordered, taking off down the stairs.

Phoebe set her diary down and carefully maneuvered around Prue and Paige. "Don't read my diary." She threw in just before disappearing down the stairs.

Paige watched her leave before turning to Phoebe's stack of diaries with a mischievous glint in her brown eyes. She reached for one but it suddenly flew away from her and she turned on Prue with narrowed eyes. "Diary." She called with a smug look at Prue as the diary appeared in her hands among the blue and white lights.

Prue blinked innocently and the diary had disappeared out of Paige's hands and reappeared where Phoebe had left it.

"You ruin the fun." Paige mumbled, slumping back in defeat and glaring at Prue's smug smile.

~PO4~

Auto Shop

The two men led Max into the back of the auto shop that one of them owned and had offered as a safe haven. Max, gagged with his hands bound in front of him, was pushed to the ground by the leading thug.

The leader towered over the sitting Max. "Alright. You try anything, you're dead and so is your old man. You got that, kid?" He demanded harshly, receiving a vigorous nod from Max.

"Come on. Ease up on him, Mickey. Kid's not stupid, are you, Max?" The second man asked, turning to face Max. Max hastily shook his head before the man continued. "You're going to do just as we tell you and everything's going to fine, right?" Max again nodded his answer.

Mickey turned on his companion. "Yeah, you better be right about him or me and you got problems." He warned.

He shrugged the warning off confidently. "Look, that kid is a living, breathing, winning lotto ticket. All I know is that my kid brother said somehow, like magic, he turned off the arcade alarm system from across the street and got them inside." The second thug explained.

Mickey glanced disbelievingly at Max before turning his hard gaze back. "I don't believe in magic." He countered shortly.

"So, we test him out, we don't like what we see, cut our losses." The two left Max in the back room and returned to the front.

Max watched them leave and waited several moments to see if they were coming back before closing his eyes. He began to slowly rock back and forth as he triggered his power.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Paige had gone back to reading her book while Prue relaxed back into her chair. Prue looked up in time to see the pointer on the spirit board move. Her curiosity peaked, she jumped up from the chair and telekinetically brought a pencil and paper to her hand. Paige looked up and immediately dropped her book as she saw what had caught her elder sister's attention.

"Piper, Phoebe." Prue called as Paige crawled up next to her trying to read what was being spelled out.

"What is it?" Phoebe asked as soon as Piper and she had come in the attic. Paige pointed enthusiastically down at the spirit board while Prue wrote down the letters the pointer identified.

Piper jumped back a little and sighed dramatically. "Oh no, not again." She groaned.

"Prue, move your arm. I can't see what it says." Paige grumbled good-naturedly while lightly pushing her sister's arm.

Prue rolled her eyes and held the notepad up for her sisters to see. "Help Max." She read. Cryptic. She hated cryptic almost as much as Piper.

~PO4~

"So maybe Max is a ghost. I mean, after all, that is a spirit board." Phoebe suggested as she followed Prue from the kitchen the next morning.

Prue didn't appear convinced and carefully sat the spirit board down on the table in the Solarium that Paige was sitting at, enjoying her cup of coffee. "A ghost that needs our help? I don't think so." Prue countered lightly.

Paige shrugged, quickly getting the gist of the conversation though her eyes followed a pacing Piper on the phone behind her other two sisters. "I don't know. Remember Mark? He was a ghost that needed help." She pointed out mildly.

"Well, what if it's just someone in trouble crying out?" Prue offered, slipping into one of the seats beside Paige while Phoebe slipped into the one across from Prue.

"Well, it would have to be someone with powers. That's not exactly AT&T." Phoebe quipped.

Prue sighed and ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "'Help Max.' That's not a lot to go on." She murmured distractedly

"Yeah, there's nothing really you can do unless he sends another message." Phoebe agreed, pouring herself a cup of coffee. She finally noticed Paige staring around her following

Piper's pacing. "What… are you on hold or something?" Phoebe asked Piper since Paige didn't appear as if she was going to ask.

Piper slowly turned to face her three sisters with a look of irritation on her face. "It's Harry, the new chef at Quake. He threw out all my Henckel knives. Apparently he prefers Forschners!" She snapped in response before turning away and placing her attention back on the phone.

Phoebe stared at Piper for several more moments before looking to Paige and Prue. "You follow any of that?" She wondered, the question directed to them both.

"Nope." Paige answered, taking a sip of her coffee.

Prue shrugged deciding that it was best not to get involved. "Look, we wouldn't have gotten the message if it wasn't important." She returned to the former subject.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Okay so what do you want to do?"

"Maybe go see Andy. See if he knows anything about a Max needing help." Prue suggested hopefully.

Phoebe blinked in disbelief. "Can you say long shot?" She joked lightly.

"Actually, I think she might have a point. Andy always seems to know something about what we're up to." Paige allowed.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Prue asked after giving a slight nod of gratitude to Paige for support.

"Fine, you're obsessed and he is probably the best way to get a lead. I accept that." Phoebe decided with a dramatic sigh. She was silent a moment as she thought about other possibilities. "Paige and I can thumb through the Book of Shadows. See if there's anything about spirit board S.O.S's." Phoebe added.

Paige looked up quickly and shook her head. "Um, no, I have to go to work soon and then I'm meeting Alex." She explained a little too quickly to be entirely truthful.

Prue and Phoebe narrowed their eyes in a scrutinizing manner for several moments before Prue decided to let Paige's lie go for now. "Okay, Phoebe can do that by herself and then maybe Piper can…"

"Look. Wait. I'm the manager. If I say I want Henckels then I want… Hello?" Piper snapped into the phone before slamming it down on its cradle and turning on her sisters. "The jerk hung up on me." She exclaimed in disbelief. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige flinched at the resounding thud of the phone. "Okay, how can I help you three?" Piper questioned, taking several deep breaths to calm down.

Prue offered Piper a wide smile. "I think we've got it under control." She replied cheerfully while Phoebe and Paige nodded enthusiastically.

Piper nodded slightly and turned toward the foyer. "Okay, then I'm going to Quake before Harry does anymore damage." She decided taking off into the foyer and from there the front door.

Prue, Phoebe, and Paige exchanged several amused glances which caused Phoebe to burst into a fit of giggles.

Piper quickly grabbed her coat off the rack by the door and pulled the door open, revealing a stunned Leo on the other side. She stopped in surprise and watched as Leo slowly lowered his hand from where he had been about to ring the doorbell.

"Ha. Ding dong." Leo laughed, his face breaking into a wide smile at the sight of Piper.

Piper quickly recovered from the shock and returned the smile just as warmly. "Leo, you're back! Come in." She offered, pulling the door open wide for him. "It's so good to see you. How are you?" Piper asked, allowing him to pull her into a tight hug.

"Better now." He answered, reluctantly pulling away slightly. "How are you, Piper?"

"Uh, I'm better now too." Piper admitted, glancing over her shoulder to see her three sisters coming up to the doorway behind her.

"Leo!" Phoebe greeted cheerfully.

"Hey, stranger. Good to see you." Prue added with a warm smile, the spirit board in her hands as she reached for her jacket.

Paige carefully kept a neutral look so as not to betray what she knew about him and vice versa. "Hi, Leo." She spoke up carefully, feigning the surprise. Perfect timing. She actually really needed to talk to him.

"What brings you back?" Phoebe questioned with a knowing look toward Piper.

Prue rolled her eyes. "Phoebe." She hissed a warning, but kept her smile in place.

Phoebe ignored the warning and pointed back behind them toward the Conservatory. "You know, the chandelier in the living room keeps flickering." She began but cut off as Paige stepped on her foot.

"Yeah? Well, I'll get my tools." Leo offered, starting to step away from Piper, who glared lightly at Phoebe.

"Oh, no, no. Take your time." Phoebe exclaimed dramatically and none-too-subtly.

Prue exchanged a glance with Piper and gave her the slightest of nods. "Uh, attic, remember? You have some reading to do." She reminded their overly excited younger sister. She glanced at Paige, who caught on quicker.

"I've got to get ready for work. See ya' later, Leo." Paige called over her shoulder as she pulled Phoebe away from the Foyer and up the stairs.

Leo waved as the youngest Halliwells disappeared before looking at Prue with interest. "Is that a spirit board?" He asked curiously.

Prue carefully kept a neutral expression while she fumbled for an excuse. "Uh, this?" She mumbled, glancing down at it. Leo nodded and she forced a smile. "Yeah, it is. Um, I'm just taking it to the auction house to be appraised." Prue explained, quite proud of her cover. She slipped her coat on and turned to Piper. "So, I'll call you if I hear anything."

Piper nodded in understanding. "I'll be at the restaurant." She reminded her before turning back to Leo, the two finally alone, if only for a few moments.

"You have to go now?" Leo wondered, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

"Yeah…" Piper replied reluctantly. "Sort of, but I'll be back soon, I promise. Can you wait?" She asked hopefully.

Leo took a moment to pretend to think it over. "Uh… sure." He teased, pulling her in for a long awaited kiss.

Piper pulled away and lightly tapped him on the arm. "Ooh… So glad you're back." She commented, moving around him to finally head for work.

Leo let her go and slowly turned to watch her leave with an unreadable expression on his handsome features.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Andy was leaning comfortably back behind his desk quickly thinking through the little information Prue had provided him with regarding the guy named Max. Prue sat across from him acutely aware of how disbelieving he was looking at her. "Okay, so let me get this straight. You think a guy named Max might be in some kind of trouble. You have no idea why. You've never met him and you really don't have any idea who he is… is that about right?" He asked teasingly, closely watching her expression.

Prue couldn't refrain from smiling at how ridiculous it sounded and rolled her eyes good-naturedly while trying to come up with something reasonable. "Alright, fine." She decided to go with the truth… mostly. Andy leaned forward curiously. "See, I had a dream last night and in my dream, my sisters and I were cleaning the attic and we found this old Ouijatype board and the pointer started to move until it spelled out 'help Max.'" Prue explained trailing off as she realized Andy was staring at her as if she was crazy. He was obviously expecting some elaboration for it to make sense. "That's it." She finished when he didn't react.

Andy stared at her silently for a few more seconds before turning to his computer and typing 'Max' into the Metropolitan missing persons database. He clicked enter and turned back to Prue as the computer began its search. "You know, I hear a lot of stories in my line of work, but yours are always very entertaining." He remarked casually.

Prue smiled and straightened in her seat slightly, taking it as a compliment. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." He laughed, looking back at the computer as the database search ended. "Sorry. Nothing on anyone named Max." Andy apologized.

"Oh, thanks for checking." Prue replied, appearing slightly disappointed in the results.

"Anytime." Andy promised with a smile that quickly cheered her up.

She sat there a moment as an awkward silence fell between the two. "Okay." Prue giggled, deciding she needed to leave quickly before he really thought she was crazy.

"Okay." Andy repeated, enjoying himself as he leaned back into his chair.

"Bye." Prue finally offered. She hastily got up from her seat and grabbed her stuff together.

"Bye." Andy returned with a slight wave. He watched her leave and remained staring at the door she had disappeared through long after she had gone.

~PO4~

Quake

"Harry!" Piper yelled as she barreled through the swinging doors that led to the kitchen. Her eyes immediately landed on the chef that she didn't recognize and she made a beeline for him.

Harry calmly glanced up from where he was cooking to look at the source of the noise. "Hey, you must be… Pippy." He guessed, taking the phone that was in his other hand away from his ear, giving her his full attention… besides the ravioli he was cooking.

Piper glared at him. "Piper." She corrected harshly. "And…"

"You know, your voice doesn't do justice. You're actually attractive." He commented off-handedly.

Piper rolled her eyes, inwardly seething before deciding to ignore that remark. "You cannot come into this restaurant, throw away all our knives, and refuse to make the house specialty…" She ranted, trailing off when she noticed he was wearing shorts. Very tackily dressed. "… That is not a proper chef's uniform." Piper continued, staring at him in mild disgust.

Harry shrugged. "Will be. I'm a trendsetter." He informed her as he reached for a colander filled with more ravioli. "In fact I, uh, decided to change the menu, so I threw out all the old ones. Now my crab ravioli. There's a specialty." Harry looked down at his ravioli proudly and sniffed it dramatically. "Mmm… straight from Eden."

"You threw out all the menus?" Piper exclaimed in disbelief.

Harry waved off her rising anger and passed her the phone that he was still holding. "Hey, complain to your sister, Phoebe. She's on line one." Harry suggested with a cocky air.

Piper irritably snatched the phone from him before turning it into a weapon against him. "You're fired!"

"Ooh… attractive and feisty." He remarked, slowly closing the distance between himself and Piper. He leaned forward for emphasis. "Um, you can't fire me cause you're just a manager. Unless you'd rather be the executive chef." Harry laughed at his own power and turned away from Piper to continue his cooking.

Having enough, Piper threw her hands out at him, freezing the kitchen. With another irritable glance at him she went to the trashcan and retrieved the knives that he had thrown away before taking his colander full of ravioli and dumping it in the trash. "Take that." She snapped, partially satisfied, and she quickly left the kitchen with the phone. As she left, the kitchen unfroze and Harry looked around in confusion upon seeing her gone.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor/ Quake

Phoebe descended the stairs, the home phone to her ear, finally talking to Piper about her experience with the new chef. "Yeah. He sounds like a real piece of work. He has a nice voice though. What's he look like?" She wondered curiously.

~PO4~

Piper carefully slid into a seat at an empty table, keeping a glare on the door to the kitchen as if she expected Harry to come after her for something. "A complete and total jerk." She returned snappily. Piper took a deep breath to calm herself. "Is Leo around?" She asked hopefully.

~PO4~

"Yeah, he's working away…" Phoebe answered, continuing her walk toward the conservatory.

~PO4~

"… He wants to know when you're going to get back though." Phoebe's voice carried through the phone as Piper watched the beginnings of an angry commotion outside the kitchen doors.

Piper frowned nervously as she watched the commotion progress. No doubt caused by Harry. "Uh, I think it might be awhile…" She admitted with a loud sigh. "… Maybe I should talk to Leo."

~PO4~

Phoebe nodded slightly. "Sure, hold on a sec." She replied, stepping into the conservatory. She looked up to meet Leo, expecting him under the chandelier, though she wasn't expecting to see him hovering in the air to change the light bulb. "Oh my God!" She exclaimed loudly, her brown eyes wide.

"Phoebe!" Leo's head snapped up in surprise to find her staring at him. He lost his concentration and fell to the ground with a loud thump.

"Let me call you back." Phoebe hissed into the phone and hung up before turning it into a weapon, much like Piper had done minutes previous.

Leo stood back up and advanced toward her, the light bulb in his hands glowing as if it was turned on. "Phoebe, wait. I can explain." He started quickly.

Phoebe backed away from him, waving the phone threateningly. "You're a warlock, aren't you?" She accused.

Leo began to answer but stopped as Paige came running into the room. "Is everything okay? Did something fall?" She demanded worriedly, having heard the loud thump that had been Leo connecting with the floor.

"Paige, don't move! He's a warlock!" Phoebe yelled, taking advantage of Leo turning around to see Paige to whack him over the head with the phone.

He stumbled forward with a groan, his hand automatically moving to rub where there would probably be a bruise.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Phoebe!" Paige screamed, running forward and grabbing Phoebe's hand that held the phone and jerking it away from Leo. "He's not a warlock, he's a Whitelighter." She continued, correctly assuming Phoebe had seen Leo using some kind of magic.

Phoebe froze and glanced at Paige in confusion. "Huh?"

"Think about it. If I was a warlock and wanted to hurt you, don't you think I would have done it the last time I was here?" Leo added, trying to avoid getting hit with the phone that was still in Phoebe's hand.

"Okay, good point…" Phoebe allowed, still staring at him dangerously. Keeping one eye on him, her eyes flickered to Paige. "Are you sure?" She questioned.

Paige nodded quickly. "Positive." Paige insisted.

Phoebe's gaze returned to Leo, who smiled nervously and hid the glowing light bulb behind his back as it gained Phoebe's suspicious attention.

~PO4~

Outside the Microchip Plant

Mickey pulled the car into the empty parking lot of the microchip plant. His conspirator, David, sat next to Max in the backseat, showing the kid the blueprints.

"These are the blueprints to the microchip plant. So the main security panel is in the room here. All you do is switch the system off. You start with zone one, ending with zone five.

You got that?" David was saying, pointing to the corresponding sections on the map.

Max lowered his gaze and shook his head. "I can't. My mom made me promise never to use my power for bad things." He argued softly.

Mickey, impatient and on edge, spun in his seat to face Max. "Yeah, well you ever read the book when bad things happen to good people?" Mickey snapped harshly.

David held his hand out to stop Mickey's rant. "Look, I got it, Mickey." He assured him before turning back to Max. "You broke into the arcade, right? This isn't any different, man. I mean, we're not even gonna take anything. We just want to see if you can actually do it." David began. Recognizing that Max was still wary, he continued. "Look, I'm… I'm really sorry about what happened to your mom, okay. That's a tough break, but you want to make sure something doesn't happen to your dad, don't you?" He pressed, his voice softer in sympathy.

Max didn't reply, but slowly closed his eyes and began to rock back and forth as he concentrated on turning off the security. David nodded to Mickey to go check it out and Mickey cautiously stepped out of the car. Mickey approached the door while Max short-circuited the control panel. The card slot next to the door flashed green and unlocked, allowing Mickey to step inside.

"Well, I'll be damned." Mickey muttered, as he was successfully inside without any alarms going off.

David looked up as Mickey disappeared inside the plant before glancing back at Max. "I don't know how you did that, but I have to say, I'm very impressed." He praised, watching as Mickey came back out.

A cop came around the corner and saw Mickey come out of the closed plant. "Hey!" He called, fumbling for his gun.

Mickey beat him to it, grabbing his own gun and shooting the cop in the leg before dashing back to the car. David grabbed a screaming Max and pulled him down. "Shut up." David hissed. The cop fell to the ground and Mickey successfully made it back to the car where he drove them away.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"I really don't know what to say…" Phoebe admitted. She was seated next to Paige in the solarium, holding a cup of tea while Leo sat across from her in an armchair. "… I mean up until today I thought you were a handyman and now you're a Whitelighter." Phoebe commented and then frowned as another piece of information clicked. "How long have you been doing Whitelighter duties, Paige?" She demanded, crossing her arms for emphasis.

Paige took a moment to count back. "Um, a month to two months-ish." She offered uncertainly.

Phoebe's frowned deepened. "And you didn't tell us?"

"She wasn't allowed to." Leo replied for the youngest Halliwell. He leaned forward slightly in his chair. "You weren't supposed to find out until later. I screwed up and got caught."

He explained lightly and with a sheepish grin.

"So what else do you actually do?" Phoebe wondered, glancing from Paige to Leo, apparently not too hurt from Paige's silence about her Whitelighter duties.

Leo, again, was the first to speak up. "We're really just messengers, guides. Think of us as guardian angels for good witches. Paige is more of a trainee right now." Leo answered, trying to put the explanation into a scenario that Phoebe would understand.

"All I've done really is inconspicuously push you guys in the direction that helps my charge." Paige added, smiling at Phoebe's confusion.

"Your charge?" Phoebe repeated.

Paige thought the question over a moment before answering. "The person I'm watching over."

"Who is it? Do I know them?" Phoebe demanded curiously and much more interested than before at the prospect of knowing.

"Can't tell you. Whitelighter confidentiality." Paige teased, flashing an innocent grin.

Phoebe appeared a little disappointed but shrugged it off and turned back to Leo. She would interrogate Paige later. "So all this time you knew who we really were?"

"Yeah, I was sent here to watch over you and your sisters when you first got your powers. You know, help out wherever I could." He explained.

"Sent by who?" Phoebe asked.

Leo smiled slightly and glanced toward Paige. "Whom." He corrected and Phoebe rolled her eyes at the grammar correction while Paige giggled softly. "They're a group of elder Whitelighters. They're known as the founders."

Paige grinned and leaned toward Phoebe so she could whisper into her ear. "We usually just refer to them as the Elders. You should see them, the name fits better." She whispered, raising her eyebrows pointedly.

Phoebe laughed, lightly hitting Paige's arm before glancing back at Leo. "So, what? You're here to help us with something else?" She wondered.

"Uh, actually, I'm here to help a boy named Max." Leo replied.

"Max?" Paige repeated, turning quickly to face Leo, interest sparked in her dark brown eyes.

Phoebe exchanged a knowing glance with Paige. "Wait. That's the… the…" She started in realization.

"The spirit board." Leo finished for them with a nod. "I know. See, Max is a budding good witch new to the powers, but he's very young and vulnerable. And he's in serious trouble. Someone is trying to take advantage of his gift."

"So why are you here instead of helping him?" Paige questioned curiously.

"I did help him. I made sure Prue received his cry for help. That's why I was sent here. That's all I'm supposed to do for now. The rest is up to Prue." Leo continued.

Phoebe didn't appear too happy with the plan. "Yeah, but Prue doesn't know anything about him. She doesn't even know he's a little boy." She pointed out.

Leo smiled assurance. "She will." He insisted. "In the meantime, you must help me keep my secret or else I could get in trouble. Piper and Prue cannot know what I really am."

Phoebe rolled her eyes good-naturedly and fought the urge to laugh. "Me keep a secret? Hello, wrong Halliwell."

"Here, here." Paige laughed.

Phoebe suddenly stopped laughing and her eyes flickered worriedly toward Paige before landing on Leo. "Wait, uh, you have to tell Piper because if I know her, she's gonna think…" She began but was cut off by Leo.

"I know, I know. And that's where I need your help. Both of you." Leo agreed and slowly stood up from his chair, his face creased with agitation. "See, Whitelighters and witches aren't allowed to fall in love. It's like humans and angels aren't. But I did. I fell in love with Piper." He admitted with a loud sigh.

Paige nodded sympathetically. "She cares so much for you too." Phoebe nodded in agreement.

Leo sighed again, running his hand through his hair. "It's not fair to keep her in the dark… but I have to keep this secret…" Leo dropped back down in his chair and looked hopefully up at the two youngest Halliwell sisters. "So somehow I have to tell Piper that I can never see her again and I can't tell her why."

Phoebe bit her lip and shared another look with Paige. "You don't need our help, Leo. You need a miracle."

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Andy knocked on the door to Prue's office before pushing through to find her typing on her computer. "Got a minute?" He asked hopefully, hesitating just outside her door.

Prue hesitated a moment, her eyes flickering to the spirit board that sat on top of her desk. "Uh, sure." She answered anyways. When Andy turned around to close her office door behind him, Prue quickly grabbed the spirit board and sat it down behind her desk where he wouldn't see it. "Why don't you just sit there." She suggested, pointing toward the seat in front of her. He sat down, leaning back comfortably in the chair. "Perfect. So, uh, what's up?" Prue wondered, watching him intently.

"I got some interesting information on a boy named Max." Andy explained.

"A boy?" Prue interrupted, biting her lip slightly.

Andy nodded. "Named Max. Yes." He repeated pointedly.

"Whoa." Prue mumbled, having not really expected Andy to find anything out.

Andy watched her reaction closely. "Curious, huh?"

She nodded, uncertain about how much she should say to him. "Very." Prue allowed, deciding it best to remain neutral.

Andy started to speak again the same time the pointer on the spirit board began to move. "Earlier today, a microchip plant was broken into but nothing was taken…" He began.

Prue saw the movement of the pointer out of the corner of her eye and tried to inconspicuously read the letters and write them down on the little notepad in front of her. "… Stranger still, the alarms were turned off before the front door was opened on the outside."

Prue nervously glanced toward Andy, realizing he was waiting for a response. "Uh, what does this have to do with this boy, Max?" She asked, her eyes flickering back to the spirit board.

"Well, uh, security cameras picked up a car in the front parking lot with a boy in the backseat… matching this photo taken at an arcade last week…" He explained, passing a picture of Max and another boy playing in the arcade. "… Where a couple of kids snuck in-in much the same way. Same boy, Max Franklin."

Prue hesitantly looked up from the spirit board when Andy quit speaking again. She reached for the pictures, trying to appear as if Andy had her full attention. "D-do you know who was in the front seat?"

Andy shook his head. "Just that they shot and wounded a security guard at the scene. This boy's in serious trouble, Prue. This is not a dream." He leaned forward, forcing her to meet his gaze. "I need to know what you know about this." He continued.

"Well, I mean, why would I know anything? I think that you need to talk to his family." Prue replied feigning ignorance that didn't fool Andy and sneaking another glance toward the spirit board where the pointer was still moving.

Andy leaned back in his chair, disappointed by Prue's response. "I did. His father. He pretended not to know anything either. Claimed the boy was out of state visiting grandparents, will be back tomorrow, but something's wrong. He wanted to tell me something but he was scared. He was afraid to say anything." Andy suddenly trailed off, watching Prue write something else down on the notepad in front of her which had claimed her attention since he'd come in. "What are you writing?" Andy demanded.

Prue hastily met Andy's gaze before he became more suspicious. "Nothing." She answered, a little too quickly to be truthful. "Uh, I'm just doodling." She lied carefully.

He watched her silently for several moments as if trying to read what she was thinking. "You're not going to tell me anything, are you?" He realized, none-too-surprised. Andy nodded as if he should have known when Prue didn't reply and slowly stood up. "One day, I'm going to figure out your secret, Prue. Count on it." He warned her before turning and leaving her alone in her office.

Prue sighed as he left, but quickly looked back down at her completed message. 'KIDNAPPED AUTO SHOP'

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Paige followed Phoebe out of the solarium and into the foyer. She grabbed her purse and a jacket, ready to go on out to work while Phoebe was heading for the stairs to get ready to take Leo to Quake. Paige reached into her back pocket to make sure she had the 'Wanted' paper she received from Andy after her Friday the 13th experience. Her brow furrowed with nervous thoughts causing her to orb in surprise upon feeling Phoebe grab her shoulder from behind. When she and Phoebe had rematerialized in the foyer she forced a sheepish smile to her elder sister, whom had acquired a look of suspicion.

"Jeez, Paige. Paranoid?" Phoebe teased lightly, though her eyes betrayed a look of seriousness that wasn't often found in Phoebe Halliwell's playful personality. Paige didn't immediately respond and Phoebe didn't really wait for an answer before continuing. "What's up?" She demanded in a voice that told Paige that there was no point in denying that something was indeed 'up.'

Paige toyed with the idea of saying the typical 'nothing' lie, but then she would be pulled into the annoying badgering until she eventually let up and ended up answering anyways.

She was already ten minutes late to work as it was so she decided to jump to the point. "I'm worried about Alex. Andy gave this to me when I went to the station…" She started, pulling out the paper of the suspect that she had recognized. Paige slowly handed it to an unusually silent Phoebe. "… I recognize him from when I met Alex back in January. He was the demon that was following him. He got away and I never could find him in the book so I cloaked Alex. He's back, killed somebody two streets away from Alex's apartment."

Phoebe's eyes flickered from the picture to meet Paige's dark brown eyes. "If you cloaked him then he's safe… but I'll go with you to warn him. Maybe I could get a premonition or…"

"No, I'm not asking for help." Paige interrupted. She ran a hand through her long and slightly curled dark hair. She forced a smile so that her words didn't sound too harsh and ungrateful. "Besides you need to help Leo. The poor guy's gonna need some of your wonderful advice on how to handle Piper." She joked, hoping that Phoebe would follow her change of subject.

Phoebe laughed in silent agreement, but she quickly caught on to Paige's dodge. "Nice try, Paigey. You can't go looking for a potential demon by yourself." She argued. Paige opened her mouth to speak but Phoebe held up her hand, stopping her. "And don't say you're only going to warn Alex because we both know you're going to go a step further to try and find this demon."

Paige frowned a little guiltily. "Fine, I am, but I can handle this. I did last time." She countered, crossing her arms with a hint of defiance sharpening the movement.

"Okay." Phoebe conceded with the slightest of nods.

Paige hesitated, surprised at having won so easily. "Alright… so I'm gonna go now…?" Paige mumbled, taking a step back and watching Phoebe as if she expected her to suddenly change her mind and start arguing again.

Phoebe smiled and waved a goodbye before turning and heading up the stairs. "Be careful." She called over her shoulder.

Paige shrugged at her good luck, refolding her paper where she placed it in her back pocket and orbed out to work. Alex was in no immediate danger. She knew that much and therefore would go see him after work.

Phoebe watched the last blue and white lights disappear, signaling the complete teleportation of her younger sister. She had no intention of letting her little sister go off by herself to track down a demon, but she also knew Paige wouldn't appreciate the help. Not that- that really mattered to Phoebe either, as long as Paige was safe… Right now, Paige was at work. Paige was safe there. She could help Leo now and still be able to discretely help Paige. With that Phoebe turned back up the stairs and raced to her room.

~PO4~

Quake  
Piper looked up from washing some knives in the kitchen when one of the cooks passed her the telephone explaining her sister was on the phone. "Hello?" Piper asked into the phone, even though she already knew it was Prue on the other end.

"Hey, um, look. Max is a boy, Piper, and he's been kidnapped." Prue immediately jumped to the point, playing with the cord of her phone.

"What?" Piper prompted in mild surprise.

Prue instinctively nodded in reply. "Yeah, I got another message on the spirit board. I have to help." Prue insisted.

Piper bit her lip nervously, none too happy with Prue's current plan. "Uh, I think we should call the police."

"Um, Andy's already been here and I think I have an idea what to do." Prue countered hopefully.

Piper sighed softly at the expected response. "Okay, so you have everything under control?" She pressed, spinning around when Harry came up behind her, pulled the phone out of her hand, and tossed it into the sink where it clanged loudly in Prue's ear.

"Uh, no, everything is not under control." Harry began sharply, in a voice that imitated Piper's last question to Prue. "I need more crab for my ravioli because somebody…" A pointed glance at Piper. "… threw it all away and I just got five more orders, Pepper." Harry tossed the orders at Piper, who just barely caught them in her arms. She glared daggers after him as sauntered off.

~PO4~

The Franklins' House

Prue parked her car along the side of the road just outside the address she had discretely acquired from Andy. She stepped out of her car and approached the front door of the huge house. She rang the doorbell and stepped back as she heard shuffling on the other side of the door. Mr. Franklin cracked the door open and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Prue.

"Mr. Franklin?" Prue asked, trying to get a decent look at the man through the barely open door.

"Yes?" Mr. Franklin prompted cautiously.

Prue hesitated a moment, trying to decide the best way to go about this situation. "Uh, my name is Prue Halliwell. I need to talk to you about your son." She finally replied.

Mr. Franklin held his breath, the topic touchy at this moment. "Sorry, um, you have to leave, okay?" He pushed suddenly and started to close the door.

Prue's eyes widened slightly and she jumped to speak before he could close her off. "Look, I know he's been kidnapped. I know he's in trouble." Prue explained hastily. She was relieved when Mr. Franklin chose to respond instead of completely closing the door.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He returned, feigning ignorance.

Her ice blue eyes narrowed at his obvious lie. "I think you do." Prue challenged, not relieving him from her gaze. "What I don't understand is why you won't talk to the police."

"Please, you gotta leave. Alright? Thank you." Mr. Franklin decided abruptly and started to close the door again.

"Mr. Franklin…" Prue began again but when he didn't immediately respond, she stuck her foot out to stop the door. "Unless, you can't talk to the police." Prue realized suddenly.

That would explain his reluctance and the sudden fear that shot through his eyes. "The kidnappers won't let you, will they? That's why you wouldn't say anything to Inspector Trudeau." She continued.

Mr. Franklin sighed and was beginning to lose his patience with this woman who couldn't possibly help him. "Look, I don't know who you are, but I'm begging you…"

"I can help." Prue reiterated.

Mr. Franklin immediately shook his head. "No, no, you can't. Alright? Good-bye." He insisted, beginning to close the door for the third time.

Prue's eyes narrowed in determination and she pushed against his attempt to shut the door. Her eyes flickered to land a family photo on the table just inside the door. With a telekinetic pull she sent it flying into Mr. Franklin's hand.  
Mr. Franklin stared at the picture for several silent moments before turning his surprised gaze on Prue. "Dear God…" He whispered, realizing she was a witch and she may just be able to help.


	28. Secrets and Guys (Part 2)

Quake

Leo sat next to Phoebe at a table in Quake, his eyes darting a little nervously to the kitchen door where he knew Piper was. To take his mind off of the dreaded conversation he turned his attention to Phoebe's nearly empty cup of water. He glanced around and after deciding that no one was looking, magically refilled the cup. For whatever reason, using his powers calmed him slightly.

Phoebe stared for several moments in surprise before smiling and reaching for her drink. "Thank you." She appreciated, sounding impressed. Phoebe took a sip of water and noticed the door of the kitchen open and Piper come out, heading for them. "Oh." Phoebe lightly hit his arm to grab his attention.

A slightly harassed Piper joined her sister and sorta-boyfriend next to their table. "Hi, I know you've been waiting a long time…" She broke off and turned towards the kitchen upon hearing a loud crash. She sighed loudly and placed her hand against her forehead as if feeling a headache coming on.

Phoebe laughed softly and cast her older sister a sympathetic glance. "Hey, have you heard from Prue?" She wondered curiously.

"Yeah, uh, she's got everything under control." Piper assured her without glancing away from the kitchen. "I'll be right back." Piper mumbled, reluctantly turning away and heading back toward the kitchen.

Phoebe waited until Piper was out of earshot before turning to Leo. "Okay, it's actually good that we have a few more minutes. We can go over your plan." She decided and upon noticing Leo's look of confusion elaborated. "You know, what you're going to tell Piper."

"Oh, uh…" Leo realized, nervously running a hand through his hair. "Well, I thought that I'd tell her that, uh, as much as I love her and as much as I'd like to stay in San Francisco,

I can't… and I don't know how long my work will keep me away." He began, looking to Phoebe for approval.

"No, no, what you just said to her was as much as you would love to stay and have sex with her, you have a wife and kids in another part of the country." Phoebe interpreted. "Try again." She ordered.

Leo appeared confused but obediently thought up a different way to say it. Pretending Phoebe was Piper, he turned back to the younger Halliwell sister. "Uh, Piper, um, you know how much you mean to me and more than anything, I wish things could work out, but they can't. And no one is more sorry than me." He offered with a hopeful glance toward Phoebe.

Phoebe smiled faintly and shook her head. "Translation- I found someone I like even better." She returned.

Leo dropped his head into his hands in frustration. "I'm completely confused." He admitted.

"Look, Leo, it's not that complicated." Phoebe insisted. When Leo didn't respond she continued to explain. "Okay, um, just avoid the following: 'We can still hang out.' 'I don't deserve you yet.' 'I need more me time before we can have we time.' And my personal favorite; 'It's not you, it's me.'" She let the last one hang in the air for a moment for dramatic effect. "And whatever you do, do not start off a conversation with 'We need to talk.' Other than that, you'll do fine."

Leo's mouth had dropped slightly and his eyes flickered nervously back toward the door to the kitchen where Piper would invariably come from.

~PO4~

The Franklins' House

Mr. Franklin led Prue to the couch in his living room, still holding the picture of him, his wife, and his son. He hesitantly explained to her what had happened the night before when Max had been taken. "Then they hit me and I passed out." He finished, dropping into the arm chair that was diagonal to Prue. "I've been going out of my mind crazy ever since last night. Should I go to the police? Should I do as they say? They promised to bring him back, but after what the police said happened this morning… I-I don't even know if he's alright." Mr. Franklin admitted, the worry evident in his voice.

"No, I know that Max is okay right now. If he wasn't, he couldn't have sent me that last message." Prue assured him softly.

Mr. Franklin paused at her choice of words. "So, I take it you're a… a witch too?" He guessed.

Prue tilted her head slightly to the side in a questioning manner. "Is that what your son says he is?" She asked.

"That's what Paulette, my wife, says he is. It's what she was. You know, it would have been a hell of a lot easier to handle her family secret had it been revealed a lot sooner." He replied with a hint of bitterness.

Prue didn't immediately respond as she understood exactly how hard it was for Paulette to admit her secret to someone you love and are afraid to lose. "Maybe she was afraid of how you would react. Maybe she was afraid that you might not accept her or love her." She offered gently.

Mr. Franklin narrowed his eyes in a scrutinizing manner. "Speaking from personal experience?"

Prue's faint smile fell for a moment. "Yes, I am." Prue admitted.

"Well, when Paulette, she had to tell me, she was running out of time. She passed away three months ago." Mr. Franklin explained. He took a moment to compose himself before continuing. "Then suddenly, Max, he starts having this power. I don't have a clue what to tell him what it all means. Then he uses it and gets busted at an arcade and now this…"

"I'm sure that Max…" Prue started but was cut off by Mr. Franklin.

"Do you have any children?" He demanded.

"No, but…" She began again.

"Then you can't possibly understand what I'm feeling." Mr. Franklin interrupted.

Prue nodded slightly in acknowledgement. "Still, I'm sorry… about what happened to Max and your wife, but if you could just find a way to forgive her."

Mr. Franklin rolled his eyes. "Forgive her." He mouthed with a shake of his head. "She should have told me. Maybe if she had, I would have been better able to protect Max." He argued.

Prue sighed softly but allowed the subject to drop. She played with her hands before deciding to move on to actually finding Max. "Do you know of anybody who owns an auto shop of any kind?" She asked carefully.

He appeared thoughtful before finally shaking his head, unable to think of anyone. "Why?" Mr. Franklin wondered.

"I think your son was trying to send me a clue." Prue explained.

"No, I…" Mr. Franklin trailed off as a sudden thought hit him. "… Although, I think Max's friend, Danny, his brother works at one over in Oakland."

"Is Danny the friend that broke into the arcade with Max?" Prue questioned. She watched as Mr. Franklin's eyes widened in realization. That was answer enough for her. "Got an address?" She prompted.

~PO4~

The Auto Shop

Max fought to break the ropes that bound his wrists and looked up in surprise as Prue walked in, heading straight for him.

"Max?" Prue asked, though she knew immediately it was him.

"Who's there?" Max demanded, trying to look over his shoulder and get a good look her.

Prue kneeled down in front of him, her hands trying to undo the knots. "My name is Prue. I'm here to take you home." She explained hastily.

"But how'd you find me?" Max questioned curiously.

Prue frowned down at the ropes that refused to loosen. "I had a little chat with your friend, Danny." Prue answered. "Look, your dad, he's waiting for you." She continued.

Max was obviously becoming increasingly confused. "You know my dad?"

"Yeah, he…" Prue trailed off as she heard the door clang open. She spun around to see Mickey in the doorway.

Mickey was stunned for a split moment before his eyes narrowed dangerously. "Hey, who the hell are you?" He demanded. Before he could reach for his gun, Prue had narrowed her eyes and sent him flying back into the tire bend. He dropped to the floor just as David ran in. With another blast of telekinesis, she sent him into the tire bend as well. David promptly fell to the floor beside Mickey.

Prue turned back to a wide-eyed Max and pulled him to his feet. "Come on. We need to hurry." She insisted, trying to lead him toward the back door.

"You have powers?" Max wondered aloud.

"Yeah, I'll explain them to you in the car, okay?" Prue replied.

Max pulled back from her. "I can't leave. They'll kill my dad if I do."

Before Prue could answer, Mickey had walked up behind her and punched her. She hit the ground and slipped into unconsciousness.

~PO4~

Prue vaguely felt herself being shaken awake. A rough voice telling her 'Hey, naptime's over, wake up.' She slowly opened her eyes and the room began to come into focus. She found Mickey kneeling beside her and she spun immediately around, looking for Max. She was relieved to find him next to her and unhurt. Prue could just see David leaning casually against the wall behind Max.

"… I got a little surprise for you." Mickey continued, ignoring Prue's inattentiveness to him.

Her eyes had flickered back to Max. "Max, are you okay?" Prue asked, her voice soft and soothing but overshadowed by worry.

Max nodded but Mickey answered the question for him. "He's fine." Mickey replied.

Prue still didn't look back at him. "Look, don't worry…"

Mickey grabbed her shoulder and roughly pulled her around to face him. He was obviously fed up with her ignoring him. "I said he's fine!" He snapped. Prue glared at him dangerously but Mickey continued before she could snap back at him. "… Now before you go trying to pull any of that magical, uh, hocus pocus crap again, I want to show you something." Mickey pulled a switch with a blinking red light out of his pocket and showed it to her.

"What is it?" Prue questioned sharply when he didn't appear as if he was going to explain. She instinctively tried to cross her arms for emphasis but found them tied in front of her.

He smiled and turned the device so that she could see the switch. "All that matters is what happens when I flick that little switch. Now, I flick that little switch and Max here takes a nap. A long one." Mickey explained.

"Mickey, why don't…" David started to disapprove but Mickey turned on him.

"Shut up!" Mickey stood up and kneeled down beside Max while David left the room. Mickey made sure Prue saw the bomb attached to Max's waist. "Plastic explosives. Little trick I picked up in Corcoran. Prison system's very educational."

Prue sent him a look of disgust. "Mickey, he's just a child. He's already proven he's not going anywhere. If you're going to wire anyone, wire me." She argued, with a worried glance back at Max.

Mickey ignored her statement but took a moment to scrutinize her curiously. "What is it with the two of you? What are you, like magicians, freaks of nature, aliens? What?" He questioned.

"Witches." Prue answered, glaring daggers at him.

Mickey laughed in disbelief. With another pointed glance at the bomb attached to Max and the trigger he held in his hand, he sauntered off to join David in the adjoining room.

As soon as he had gone, Prue turned back to Max. "You okay?"

"I'm scared." Max admitted.

"I know." Prue nodded slightly in understanding. "Just, uh, do as they say and everything will be fine. They need you, remember?" She reminded him gently.

"I'm sorry I got you into this. Sorry I have these stupid powers." He apologized, glancing away from her and to his hands that were tied in front of him.

Prue sighed and shook her head. "No, Max. Don't ever be sorry about that. It's a gift. It's like being a, uh, magician or an athlete."

"It's a pain! I'm a freak." Max retorted. "My dad hates it too. He hates me." Max added, his voice growing softer.

"No, no he doesn't." Prue argued softly. "He just doesn't understand it, that's all. It's new to him too." She explained. There was a moment of silence in which Max thought the new perspective over. "Don't worry, Max. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. Okay?" She pressed.

Max offered her a faint smile. "Okay." He allowed.

"Okay." Prue repeated, lightly tapping him on the arm with her elbow. She gave him a reassuring smile and he answered by smiling just a little wider.

~PO4~

David was pacing back and forth in the adjoining room. He turned on Mickey as soon as he had walked in. "You really think it's necessary? Wiring the kid like that?" David demanded.

Mickey glanced up from the blue prints to the bank. "You saw what that chick did. Pretty cool, actually..." He chuckled thoughtfully at the possibilities. "… Might come in handy tonight. It's the only reason she's still breathing."

David cast his partner another glare as Mickey turned away.

~PO4~

Quake

Piper quickly crossed the restaurant to where Leo was still sitting at the table. This time alone as Phoebe had left to give them a little privacy. Piper untied her apron and slipped into the chair next to him. "Sorry, small mutiny in the kitchen." She apologized. "Where were we?" Piper wondered aloud.

Leo hesitated a moment, glancing nervously at her. "Piper, there's something I need to tell you." He began.

"Yeah?" Piper pressed, listening closely with an expectant smile.

Leo sighed loudly and looked down at his hands, searching for words. He felt he needed to give her something more to explain why he couldn't come back. "Look, uh, forgive me but I could be summoned at any moment, so I have to tell you this now…" Piper nodded for him continue. "… I can't…" Leo trailed off. He took a deep breath to compose himself and tried again. "… I can't…" Again he couldn't finish it. Looking into her light brown eyes, that were now staring at him with a hint of worry, he couldn't say it. "… I can't believe how much I missed you." Leo amended with a hopeful smile.

Piper smiled and laughed a little though she was now confused. She was sure that wasn't what he was going to say but she didn't press it. "Well, Leo, I missed you too, but what do you mean 'summoned?' Summoned where?" She asked instead.

Before he could answer, Harry stuck his head out of the kitchen and waved enthusiastically at Piper. "Hey, uh… Piper! No respect, I can live with, okay, but where the hell is my coriander?" Harry demanded.

Piper looked around Leo and fixed Harry with a look of annoyance. She stood up suddenly and irritably tossed her apron on her seat. "Okay, that's it. I'm ending this now!" She decided, heading straight for the kitchen.

"Oh my gosh! You know?" Phoebe demanded, coming in just in time to hear Piper's last statement. Phoebe quickly intercepted Piper before she could get more than three steps toward the kitchen.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Of course I know. The whole restaurant knows. Didn't you hear him scream across the room?" She exclaimed in disbelief.

Phoebe frowned and glanced around at Leo. "I thought it was a secret…" She mumbled to Leo, but Piper thought it was directed to her.

"Phoebe…" Leo mouthed with a violent shake of his head, trying to signal to her that they weren't talking about the same thing.

However, Piper continued before Phoebe could figure out what Leo was doing. "I wish. It will probably be in the newspaper tomorrow." Piper lamented dramatically.

"No, it can't be. Look, Piper, he never meant to hurt you." Phoebe insisted gently.

"Phoebe, please, you haven't even met the maniac." Piper returned with a roll of her eyes. Phoebe looked taken aback. "What has gotten into you?" Piper wondered, moving around Phoebe to head to the kitchen.

Phoebe was left at the table. She glanced to Leo for an explanation on what had just happened.

"She's talking about the new chef." Leo answered her silent question.

"Oh!" Phoebe realized loudly. She laughed softly and then suddenly looked serious. "So does that mean she took your news well?"

Leo shook his head. "That means she doesn't know! I can't tell her, Phoebe. I can't stand to think about it, much less, talk about it." He countered, sounding frustrated.

Phoebe sighed sympathetically before breaking some more news to him. "Well, here's something else you might not want to think about. Piper said that Prue had everything under control, but I can't find her…"

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Paige once again found herself walking through the halls of the police station toward Andy's desk. The difference was that this time he had called her in. He was suspicious of something, that much she was sure. Paige saw him sitting on the edge of his desk with his trademark cup of coffee. She had a vague idea that maybe he was the reason Prue had gotten hooked on the drink… It was a fleeting thought as he saw her almost immediately and waved her over. "Hi!" She greeted cheerfully.

Andy nodded in greeting but didn't really have the time for pleasantries this time. "Do you know where Prue is?" He asked suddenly. "She's not answering her phone and I need to know what she knows about this Max."

Paige only heard Prue's name mentioned by Andy as her attention was stolen by a video camera tape being played on a television. Completely forgetting Andy was trying to talk to her, she abruptly crossed the room to get a better view. Paige's jaw dropped and her eyes widened in disbelief at what she saw. She pulled the picture out of her back pocket and sure enough she recognized one of the two men as they stabbed a woman in some deserted parking lot, but that wasn't what had sparked such a reaction from the youngest Halliwell sister. The other man, the one with the knife was Alex. She was certain and she paled visibly.

"Paige!" Andy called for what felt like the hundredth time. With no reaction forthcoming he lightly knocked her arm in an attempt to gain her attention.

It worked partially as Paige slowly turned her dark brown eyes to him. Why wasn't Andy reacting? He knew Alex… had seen him. They had talked. "Don't you recognize him?" She stuttered, her confusion forgetting about being cautious around him.

Andy was staring at her in concern and rather reluctantly turned to the television, ignoring the two other officers that were actually on the case and watching them with suspicion.

He followed Paige's pointing finger to Alex. "No…" He answered. Andy reached up to the two wanted pictures next to the T.V. One was the same one Paige held in her hand and the other was of a man with mediocre looks, almost black hair, and brown eyes. He pulled the latter photo down and passed it to Paige. "Does he look familiar to you?"

Paige narrowed her eyes in confusion at the photo. "Where is he in this?" She wondered, turning back to the video to try and find this man. One of the other cops silently pointed to Alex on the video. Now Paige was the one casting looks of concern.

"Paige…?" Andy prompted.

She suddenly realized, looking into their eyes, that she was the only one to see Alex in the video. Paige warily took the wanted picture of their perceived 'Alex.' As the paper touched her hand the photo glowed a soft yellow light and the features of the black hair-brown eyed man shifted until the light brown hair- dark green eyed Alex took its place.

Paige dropped the paper in shock and jumped back. She almost fell backwards but Andy reached out and quickly steadied her.

"Paige…" Andy said for the third time. He trailed off, not exactly knowing how to ask 'What the hell are you doing?'

"Do you not see it?" Paige demanded, pointing at the picture of Alex that was now on the floor. She received three looks that were obviously wondering if she had gone crazy.

"See what?" Andy asked hesitantly. He picked the photo up and stared at it hard, but saw no difference. It was just the black haired-brown eyed man.

Paige shook her head in disbelief and slowly backed away. "I've gotta go…" She mumbled and before anyone could stop her, she had spun around and dashed out of the room.

Andy ran a hand through his hair in frustration as Paige ran out. He thought to chase after her, but he knew from experience that she would have disappeared before he could get to her. She had a knack for getting away. Instead, he turned his attention to the picture but still found nothing that would make Paige react so… weird. Andy sighed and slammed the picture down on the table and walked back to his desk. Why did all the Halliwell sisters have to be so frustrating? Not only had he not gotten any answers concerning Max… hell, he hadn't even gotten to asking any of them to Paige, but now he only had more questions. Questions that he had a distinct feeling wouldn't be answered.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department/ The Halliwell Manor

Darryl walked out of the copier/ printer room with a picture that he handed to Andy, who was sitting behind his desk. "Say hello. Mickey Jackson. Security cameras digitally enhanced for your viewing pleasure." He quipped, pointing to the picture picked up by the security cameras at the microchip plant.

Andy narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the picture. "Jackson's a convicted bank robber. What's he doing breaking into a microchip plant?" He wondered aloud.

"And stealing squat." Darryl added. "Good question."

Andy shrugged. "A better one would be how he broke into the plant in the first place. High tech's not exactly his style." Andy commented with a soft chuckle as he thought about what he knew of Jackson.

Darryl dropped into the chair in front of Andy's desk. "Unless this was just a dry run, maybe Mickey's looking to bigger and better things." He offered.

"Like another bank?" Andy suggested.

Darryl shook his head. "Like a big bank. It's a leap I know." Darryl allowed, taking one of the pictures from Andy and looking back over it.

"Agreed." Andy replied with a half-smile. He turned his attention to the picture of Max in the back seat of the car. "But why the kid? How does he fit into this?" Darryl shrugged, having no answer. Andy started to say something when his phone started ringing. "Trudeau." He answered.

"Hey, Andy. It's Phoebe." Phoebe spoke through the phone. "Have you seen Prue since this morning?" She asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

"No. As a matter of fact, I was about to ask you the same question." Andy responded.

Phoebe bit her lip slightly. "Really? Why?" She wondered.

"Because I think she knows something about a boy named Max. Do you?" He questioned.

Phoebe's eyes widened slightly and she was extremely glad Andy couldn't see her face. "Uh… ooh, oh, that's my call waiting. Gotta go, could be Prue. Bye!" She lied hanging up before Andy could respond. Phoebe then turned her attention to Leo behind her. "Uh, anything?"

Leo opened his eyes and allowed himself to relax back into the couch where he was seated. "No, I can't reach Prue or Max telepathically." He answered, his eyes narrowed in thought.

"Does that mean they're in trouble?" Phoebe asked uncertainly.

"Who's in trouble?" Piper wondered suddenly as she came into the room and dropped her purse and jacket on the table.

Phoebe jumped slightly and smiled sheepishly at her older sister. "Oh, the 49ers. No secondary. They need a really good draft pick next year." She fabricated. Phoebe glanced between Piper and Leo before taking a step toward the direction of the kitchen. "Well, I'm gonna go into the kitchen and see if I can get in touch with Prue." She decided, slipping out. "… Or Paige." She added under her breath.

Piper smiled and dropped onto the couch next to Leo. "Alone, finally. Don't have to worry about any more interruptions from Harry. He, uh, quit." Piper explained. She reached out to wrap her arms around Leo but he pulled away from her. Piper tilted her head in confusion and pulled back. "Um, not the enthusiastic response I was hoping for…" She mumbled, looking expectantly at Leo.

"Look, uh, Piper. I've been searching all day for an easy way to tell you this…" He began.

Piper's mouth dropped. "Oh… Uh." She threw her hands out, freezing him midsentence. Piper spun in her seat toward the foyer that led to the kitchen where she knew Phoebe was listening in. "Phoebe. Phoebe, I know you're not in the kitchen." She called a little exasperated.

Phoebe slowly stepped in, feigning ignorance and surprise. "That is so weird. I was just on my way back."

Piper rolled her eyes and decided to just cut to the chase. "Is Leo about to tell me that he doesn't want to see me anymore?" She demanded.

Phoebe swallowed nervously and sat down beside Piper on the couch, gently taking her sister's hands in hers. She started to say something but glanced around Piper to the frozen Leo. Phoebe stood up quickly. "You'll have to ask him." Phoebe mumbled, taking off out of the room.

Piper sighed dramatically and made herself comfortable on the couch before unfreezing him.

"… And that's the problem. I fell in love with you and I shouldn't have." Leo continued his explanation as if nothing had happened.

"You're married." Piper guessed.

"No." Leo answered, a little confused.

Piper looked thoughtful for a moment. "Engaged?"

Leo hesitated, searching for the right words. "Uh, I'm involved…" He replied. Piper rolled her eyes as if she should have expected it. "But it's not the way you think… The truth is I led you on and made you believe I was coming back." Leo insisted hastily.

"Leo, you are back." Piper pointed out.

"Yeah, but I… I have to leave again. Now, and… and it's not because I want to, though. It's because I have to. I'm sorry." He apologized.

"That's okay." Piper assured him.

Leo looked partially surprised and partially confused. "It is?"

Piper nodded slightly. "Yeah, I mean, Leo, you're a nice guy and I like you a lot, but let's face it. You're geographically undesirable. I mean, you said you lived really far away, right?" Piper asked.

"Yeah… pretty far." Leo agreed.

"Well, I try never to get involved with guys I can't see regularly. So don't feel bad. I mean, I understand. I really do." Piper continued. She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss before standing up and leaving the room.

Phoebe came in hesitantly after Piper had passed her in the hallway. "How'd she take it?" Phoebe wondered.

Leo sighed, his eyes still focused on where Piper had disappeared. "Not bad." He replied softly. Leo suddenly looked up as he heard the familiar call from the Elders. "Oh, um, excuse me, but I have to go." He stood up and grabbed his jacket.

Phoebe stared at him in confusion. "Leo, what-wh-where are you going?" She called after him.

Leo stopped in the doorway and glanced back at her. "I-I have to go. Now." He answered cryptically. With that he walked out the door, leaving Phoebe alone in the conservatory.

~PO4~

The Park

Paige had orbed to the park as soon as she had gotten out of sight of the police station. She dropped into a park bench and tapped the wood in impatience as she waited for Leo to orb in. Her phone lit up as Phoebe continued to persistently try to get in touch with her. She ignored it easily enough knowing Phoebe wanted to help her with her Alex situation, but she wasn't ready to tell her sisters yet. Thus she turned her attention to her surroundings. It was fairly dark outside and the place was deserted, all the families having left for the day. Leo didn't keep her waiting long. Before the last orbs had even disappeared, Paige had jumped to her feet and in one long breath hastily explained what had happened at the police station.

"Whoa, Paige, slow down." Leo insisted, appearing overwhelmed by the demands of Paige Matthews. "None of what you're saying makes sense…"

"I know it doesn't make sense. That's why I'm asking." Paige exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air dramatically.

Leo was silent while Paige took several deep breaths to calm herself down. "Okay, so you recognized Alex on the video and when you touched the wanted picture it glowed and shifted to show Alex…" Leo tried to piece what she had attempted to tell him together.

Paige nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, only all three of the cops around me, Andy included, didn't see the picture glow and change… They saw this other guy. Dark hair and dark eyes. Alex has light hair and green eyes." Paige added.

There was another moment of silence between the two before Leo finally responded. "Well, the way you're describing it… with everyone seeing this different person and assuming that you're right and it is Alex, then is sounds like he's cloaked himself somehow. But that wouldn't explain why you would be able to see through it…"

"Cloaked himself? Like he cast a spell so that no one could recognize him killing somebody?" Paige prompted for elaboration.

Leo shrugged. "It might not be Alex. I mean, you've never suspected him before, right?"

Paige slowly shook her head, pondering the possibilities. It wasn't until Leo mentioned Piper that she remembered… That day back in January. She had taken Alex to Quake so that she and Piper could cast a cloaking spell on Alex. A cloaking spell. To hide him from 'those that wish him harm.' If he was on the other side, would that not make her his enemy? That would explain why she never suspected him… never felt that he was an enemy. Her power hadn't been that strong at first. It wasn't until recently that it began to grow powerful enough that she was certain of someone's alignment. "Leo… Piper and I cloaked Alex." She whispered nervously.

What?" Leo asked, her response not being what he had expected.

"Piper and I cloaked Alex." She repeated slowly. "I saved him… or thought I was saving him from this demon. I couldn't find the demon in the Book of Shadows so I cloaked him." Paige elaborated.

Leo's frown deepened in thought and silence fell between the two.

~PO4~

The Auto Shop

Mickey pulled the door of the inconspicuous van, which they would be using as transport, open, getting it prepared for the night. David was passing him the blueprints, guns, and other objects that they were going to be using while Mickey packed them in.

"So the thing is, once Max shorts out the alarm, we got like three minutes before the guards realize there's a signal interruption." David warned, leaning casually against the door of the van.

Mickey shrugged, unconcerned. "Just make sure the kid knows what he's supposed to do." He ordered sharply. He glanced around David and caught sight of the two witches on the other side of the room. "And keep an eye on that girl. I don't trust her." Mickey added almost as an afterthought.

Prue watched their preparations with narrow-eyed curiosity until Max hesitantly caught her attention. "Has anything like this ever happened to you before?" He asked nervously.

"Uh, not exactly like this…" Prue admitted after a moment, allowing her gaze to switch over onto Max. "… Usually the demons I have to deal with…"

"Demons?" Max repeated with wide eyes.

Prue bit her lip slightly and silently scrutinized the young teenager. "Um, your Mom didn't get the chance to tell you much about being a witch, did she?" She asked as much as stated.

"No, I just found out about my power when she died." Max replied, shifting his gaze down to the ground.

"You know, my Mom died when I was young too. I know how much it hurts and it doesn't really ever go away." Prue sympathized gently. She took a moment to make sure her voice wouldn't break before continuing. "I didn't even know that my power was coming. I've had to figure it out all by myself, which means, so can you. Especially with your dad's help."

Max laughed mirthlessly. "He'll never understand." He argued.

"Max, you have to help him understand." Prue insisted softly.

He smiled faintly at the familiar words. "You sound just like my mom." Max remarked.

Prue returned the smile and pulled him into a quick, one-armed hug. "Well, I care a lot about you too."

"I wish you could be my mom right now." Max admitted.

Prue's smile widened before pulling slightly away from him. "So what is your power anyway?" She asked curiously.

"Mom called it psychokinesis. It means I can move things I can't see." He explained.

Prue started to respond but cut off as Mickey walked up to them. Her eyes flickered to land suspiciously on the trigger in his hands.

"Alright, remember, just do everything I say and, uh, nobody gets hurt." Mickey reminded them, staring pointedly at Prue and waving the trigger in her direction.

"Let's roll." David decided, herding Prue and Max toward the van.

The foursome halted as Mr. Franklin came in through the door. "Max?" Mr. Franklin called as soon as he had caught sight of them.

"Dad!" Max responded, taking a step forward only to stop as David and Mickey both pointed guns at his father.

Mr. Franklin stopped, as well, holding his hands up in a sign of surrender. "Hold it. Hold it. Don't shoot. I'm unarmed." He assured them quickly, pulling open his jacket so they could see that he was indeed unarmed. "Nobody else knows you're here, I swear. I found you the same way she did. Through your brother."

Mickey fixed David with a look of utter disbelief mingled with anger. "Your brother?" He repeated.

"Gordon, they have him wired." Prue warned him, only to have Mickey spin back on her.

"Shut up!" He snapped.

"Dad." Max mumbled nervously.

"It's alright, son." Mr. Franklin assured him, his eyes never leaving Max. He slowly turned to face Mickey. "Look man, I'll give you anything else you want. Just… let me have my boy, please."

There was a tense silence in which everyone glanced nervously between Mr. Franklin and Mickey. Mickey abruptly lowered his gun and turned to David. "Alright, David, go, um, go put them in the van." David hesitated. "Do it." Mickey ordered, his patience running thin.

David pushed Prue and Max past Mr. Franklin and roughly shoved Prue inside first.

"My son…" Mr. Franklin tried to reach out to grab Max as they walked by but David shoved him aside and then forced Max into the van with Prue. "Max, Max." Mr. Franklin repeated as Mickey grabbed him and moved him back behind the van. "Please man, let him go. I'm begging you. Please. He's my son. I beg you. Please."

Mickey loaded his gun and pointed it at Mr. Franklin. "Sorry." He apologized without a hint of remorse. Mickey pulled the trigger and Mr. Franklin fell to the ground.

Prue's eyes flashed with shock, disbelief, worry, fear before she finally looked away and turned her attention to Max, who had buried his face in her jacket and, thankfully, missed what had happened.

Mickey slammed the door to the van shut and hopped into the passenger's side. "Drive." He ordered, glancing back at the two captives.

Prue looked back at Mr. Franklin's body as the van drove away and tried to stem the flow of tears as she held onto the frightened boy in her arms. She closed her eyes tightly and finally lifted the block to contact Piper.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor/ The Park

Piper took the steps two at a time and jumped the last three down onto the first floor. Silently fuming at the situation her older sister had allowed to escalate before finally admitting that she needed help. Piper was going to have to yell at her for it later… someday Prue was going to get herself killed by being too prideful to ask for help. It was ridiculous. She had the power of telepathy or whatever it was. It made it so easy. Piper hastily grabbed the phone up and dialed Paige's cell. After three rings her youngest sister picked up.

"Paige? Listen, I've heard from Prue and she needs help. Short story, Max is a boy who was kidnapped. She got herself caught and Max's father found them and the kidnappers shot him. You need to orb over there… uh, some auto shop in Oakland and get him to the hospital. We can worry about the story later, but we can't let him die." Piper explained.

~PO4~

"Okay." Paige agreed, trying to keep up with Piper's ramble. She figured Leo would be able to know where this auto shop was and could heal Max's father. She would have to come up with a story but like Piper said, they couldn't let him die. Paige quickly assured Piper that she would be careful before hanging up and turning to Leo. "The boy, Max, his father was shot. We have to do something."

Leo nodded in agreement. "Follow me."

~PO4~

Outside the Bank

David stopped the van across the street from the bank. He glanced up and down the dark streets looking to see if anyone was paying them any attention. When he deduced that the streets were definitely empty, he turned around to Max and Prue. "Alright, it'll be just like this morning, Max." He explained, passing the blueprints to the young teenager.

"That's where the alarm panel is, you know the rest." David finished, pointing to the room where the alarm panel was located.

Max didn't respond but instead of turning his attention to the blueprints, he looked directly at Mickey.

"What are you looking at?" Mickey demanded harshly.

"What are you going to do to my dad?" Max returned just as sharply, his dark eyes cold.

David cast a nervous glance in Mickey's direction while Mickey sighed loudly and in irritation. Prue quickly spoke up as she knew time was of the utmost importance for Mr. Franklin. "Max, the sooner this is over, the sooner we can get to him. We need to hurry." She prodded gently.

Max sighed but slowly nodded in agreement. He closed his eyes in concentration and slowly rocked back and forth as he mentally located the control panel and shorted it out, effectively downing all security, including opening the vault. 

"Okay."

"Out." Mickey ordered as he pulled a ski mask over his head. Beside him, David did the same. They both stepped out of the van and forced Max and Prue to follow them.

David and Mickey led the way through the deserted bank and to the vault with a gun ready to shoot in case they ran into anyone. "We got two minutes." David reminded Mickey

"Alright, you get the cash. I'll watch them." Mickey decided and tossed the money bag to David, who entered the vault. Mickey waited in the doorway, his eyes flickering from Prue and Max to David behind him.

Prue turned inconspicuously to Max. "Use your power." She whispered. Max looked at her in confusion. Prue narrowed her eyes slightly and Max's jacket moved just enough to reveal the bomb strapped to his waist. She glanced at it pointedly.

Mickey noticed her subtle glance and stepped forward to grab Max. Mickey pulled him back to the vault door and pointed the gun in Prue's direction. "I don't want you two getting any ideas." He explained needlessly. When Mickey turned his attention back to David, Prue nodded for Max to go ahead. Max closed his eyes and slowly began to rock back and forth. "What the hell are you doing?" Mickey demanded, lightly hitting Max in an attempt to stop his concentration. Before he could really do anything, the bomb shorted out followed by the ring of an alarm.

Two guards came running from down the hall. "At the vault!" One shouted followed by "Put him down!"

Mickey irritably pushed Max away where Prue caught him and pulled him down beside her out of the way of any inevitable shootout.

"Hold it right there!" A second guard yelled. David and Mickey pulled their guns out and pointed. "Drop it!"

Prue quickly narrowed her eyes and sent the guards flying to the side out of harms way just as Mickey and David pulled the trigger consecutively. The bullets shot harmlessly through air.

Mickey turned his dangerous glare on Prue. "Big mistake." He pushed the trigger, only to have nothing happen.

"Yeah, right back at you." Prue returned coldly. With a telekinetic blast, she sent their guns flying out of their hands and pushed both Mickey and David back into the vault.

Another squint of her eyes and the vault door shut them in and locked. She then turned to Max and pulled him to his feet. "Come on."

Max hesitantly followed after her, glancing back behind him to where the guards were. "Shouldn't we wait for the cops? Explain everything?" He wondered.

Prue shook her head and continued to pull him after her. "No. Look, we cannot explain without telling and you have to protect yourself by protecting your secret. Besides, we really need to get back to your dad, okay?" She prompted, leading him back to the van.

~PO4~

The Auto Shop

Mr. Franklin weakly opened his eyes to find the bright lights of orbs surrounding him. He reached very slowly toward them. "Paulette?" He whispered as he could swear they formed the figure of a person.

Leo appeared standing in the place of the orbs quickly followed by Paige. Both Whitelighters kneeled down next to Mr. Franklin and Leo placed his hand over Mr. Franklin's bullet wound. "It's not time for you to be with your wife, Gordon. It's time to be with your son." Leo explained.

"But…" Mr. Franklin started to argue with a pointed glance at the blood that was spilling onto the floor.

"Leo, hurry." Paige hissed softly, her wide brown eyes on the wound. As she spoke a golden light emanated from Leo's hand and the wound suddenly began to close until not even

Mr. Franklin's shirt was cut or stained with blood.

"Raise the boy well. Heed Prue's advice." Leo offered, standing up and stepping away. "Are you coming?" He asked, his eyes flickering to Paige.

Paige looked around him where she could see the car lights already coming in. She knew it was Prue and slowly shook her head. "No. I think it's time they knew. I need their help." Paige answered, almost apologetically as she still wasn't supposed to tell anyone about her Whitelighter duties.

Leo frowned and thought to argue, but he was out of time. "It's worth checking out." He offered, in regards to her situation with Alex. He gave the slightest of nods and he disappeared in a swirl of blue and white lights, leaving Paige and   
Mr. Franklin in the auto shop with the newly arrived Prue and Max.

"Dad, you okay?" Max yelled the moment he had jumped out of the van. He ran forward to meet his father, passing Paige with no more than a glance.

"Max!" Mr. Franklin responded loudly. He ran forward and pulled is son into a tight hug. "Oh, I'm fine Max. Thank you, God. Thank you. Thank you. You're alright."

Prue halted as she came around the van and saw Paige to one side and Max with an obviously unhurt Mr. Franklin. "Paige?" She questioned in complete confusion before she turned her gaze on Mr. Franklin. "But I saw you get… you're not bleeding…" Prue mumbled, turning a suspicious eye on Paige. Paige was supposed to orb him to the hospital, not heal him.

Paige sent her a look that clearly said she'd explain everything later which Prue nodded just slightly in understanding.

Mr. Franklin had pulled back from Max. "It's a miracle. Thank you… Thank you for protecting my son." Mr. Franklin appreciated wholeheartedly.

Prue smiled faintly. "I'm just glad it worked out. Raise the boy well." She looked even more confused when Mr. Franklin stared at her strangely and Paige couldn't suppress a giggle. "What?"

"There's somewhere we need to go. I'd like you to come with us." Mr. Franklin's gaze flickered to Paige, who was still standing to the side with a content expression on her face.

"Both of you." He amended with a kind smile in her direction.

Paige shook her head politely. "I have to go…" She looked over at Prue. "I'll talk to you when I get home?"

Prue nodded again. Paige offered one more smile at everyone before disappearing amidst orbs, to the wide-eyed wonder of both Max and Mr. Franklin.

~PO4~

Outside Alex's Apartment

Paige reappeared on the far end of the driveway, completely hidden by the shadows. She ran a hand through her slightly curled hair and tossed it over her shoulder casually. Without a moment to spare she approached the front door and from there the door to Alex's apartment. Paige stopped outside his door and took a moment to prepare herself for feigning ignorance. As if she suspected nothing. She hoped she was wrong, but she wasn't going to take that chance. She had to find out. A moment later Alex had opened the door and kissed Paige in greeting. "Hi." Paige greeted cheerfully as he pulled away from her. She grinned and crossed the threshold of his apartment.

~PO4~

The Cemetery

Max and Mr. Franklin were kneeling down beside Paulette's grave, both holding flowers that they placed in front of the stone. "I was so busy being angry at your mother for leaving, for not telling me her secret, your secret… it was like a… a weight on my heart. I hope you both can forgive me." Mr. Franklin admitted softly.

Instead of responding in words, Max turned away from his mother's grave and threw his arms around his father in silent forgiveness.

Prue smiled, a content and watery smile, as Mr. Franklin nodded gratefully in her direction before slowly leaving the cemetery and the father and son in each other's arms.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Up in the attic, Piper, Phoebe, and Prue were finishing up the last of the spring cleaning, meaning Piper was working while Prue sent a toy train at Phoebe with a childish giggle. Phoebe cast her a mock glare but burst out into laughter as she picked it up.

"Can you believe that? Dad's old train." Prue exclaimed, holding her hands back out for the toy which Phoebe cheerfully passed back to her.

Piper sat the next to last box down on the floor, slightly harder than necessary. "I can't believe you! You get mad at me for chasing monsters on my own. Not to mention you didn't even tell me!" Piper snapped, crossing her arms and staring dangerously at her elder sister.

Prue blinked and smiled innocently. "I did tell you…" She reminded cheekily.

"Yeah, when you were at gunpoint!" Piper returned harshly.

Prue's smile faded slightly in acknowledgement. "Well, I figured I could handle it when I found out they weren't demons, but… I probably should have asked for help." She admitted.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Even though it kills you." She joked. "And almost did." Phoebe added as an afterthought.

"Live and learn." Prue replied, tossing her hair over her shoulder carelessly.

"Yeah, you didn't even get to say goodbye to Leo." Piper lamented a little bitterly.

Phoebe glanced up nervously. "What is that supposed to mean?" She asked in what she hoped was a nonchalant tone of voice.

Piper shrugged, lost for words. "I don't know. It's just weird. I felt like… he was holding something back from me." She explained slowly.

"Holding something back? What do you mean?" Prue questioned curiously.

"Who know? It just seems like he wasn't telling me the whole truth. Like… he had some secret he was afraid I couldn't handle." Piper elaborated.

"Well, that's his call." Phoebe spoke up and then frowned when her sisters cast her a scrutinizing glance. "Uh, assuming that he had a secret… he might not have." She amended hesitantly.

Piper turned away, back to the box of toys. "What are you talking about?" Her voice echoing her disbelief.

Phoebe sighed loudly and threw her hands up in defeat. "Okay, okay. You don't have to beat it out of me. Leo is a Whitelighter like Paige and they're not supposed to get involved with witches. But Leo couldn't help it. He fell in love with you and that broke all the rules, Paige being an exception, and got him in all sorts of trouble. And even though he'll love you forever, you will probably never see him again." Phoebe explained dramatically and all in one breathe. She stopped and the attic was filled with silence.

Prue and Piper exchanged a glance before they both burst out laughing. "What? Phoebe… that's… that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Leo, our handyman, a Whitelighter. Oh god, don't be so silly." Piper laughed, tossing a toy in her direction.

Phoebe appeared stunned but smiled, deciding it best to go along with it. "Me? Silly?" She repeated in a 'never' voice.

"I gotta go get more tea." Piper mumbled, still giggling to herself as she stepped out of the attic.

"You know, Pheebs, with an imagination like that you should be writing children's stories or something." Prue joked.

Phoebe turned back to Prue, completely serious. "No, but…" She trailed off, remembering that she wasn't supposed to say anything… and technically it wasn't a secret anymore so she just didn't have to bring it up again. "… I didn't even think of that. That's a really good idea, Prue." She amended thoughtfully. Looking away, she started to place the toy train into the 'going' box only to have Prue snatch it out of her hands.

"That… stays here." Prue insisted, smiling fondly down at the toy.

Phoebe crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes curiously at Prue. "Wait, I thought all of the toys were going to the Salvation Army."

"Well, like you said… we should save some for our children." Prue replied with a half-smile in Phoebe's direction.

"Do I sense a hormonal shift here?" Phoebe teased lightly.

Prue rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "It's no big deal. I've just had some time to think, that's all." Prue offered.

"Yeah, in all that spare time of yours." Phoebe quipped.

Prue cast her a playful glare. "And I realized that I do want kids. I think I'd make a great mom."

Phoebe nodded in agreement. "So did you save Max or did Max save you?" She wondered. She smiled wider as Prue didn't answer and slowly stood up to take the last box out of the attic, leaving Prue alone.

~PO4~

Prue was still alone in the attic when Paige orbed in later that morning. Prue looked expectantly at Paige and nodded for her to sit down beside her. Paige complied and tried to decide what to start with. She needed to warn her sisters about Alex but first they needed to know she had taken up Whitelighter duties as well. But she also knew she couldn't tell them too much… especially about Andy.

"Did you heal Mr. Franklin?" Prue asked before Paige could sort anything out.

"Yes." Paige lied. She couldn't betray Leo's secret. "Um, I started Whitelighter duties about a month or two ago… around the time Clay was over." She elaborated a little, avoiding her sister's gaze in case Prue could read her half-lie.

"What do you mean 'started' Whitelighter duties? How do you 'start'?" Prue questioned curiously.

Paige was relieved to hear she sounded more curious than angry for the secret and so she hesitantly met Prue's gaze. "One of the head Whitelighter guys came to me… orbed into my room actually. About gave me a heart attack." She laughed softly, hoping it would throw off Prue with her second little lie.

"So, you can heal now?" Prue prompted, tilting her head slightly to the side.

Paige had to refrain from biting her lip. "Not usually. They control the power and I'm not exactly… err, trained enough to receive it permanently. It was a very special circumstance." She offered, hoping it sounded fairly plausible for why she wouldn't be able to heal her sisters if they got hurt.

Prue sighed softly. "Too bad. It would have been nice…" She lamented, slowly pushing herself to her feet.

"Wait, are you leaving?" Paige demanded.

Prue's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Well, I know you're not telling me everything, but I kind of figured you wouldn't tell me when you're ready… which is not now. Am I wrong?"

Paige smiled faintly in thanks. "No, but there is something else I need to tell you. It's about Alex." Paige trailed off as Prue's eyebrows rose in curiosity and she sat back down next to her sister. Prue nodded for Paige to continue and the younger Halliwell slowly started from the beginning about her suspicions of her boyfriend… soon to be ex.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, that's it for this episode. What do you think? Is my not-completely-cannoness okay?


	29. Is There a Woogy in the House? (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't really think this is one of my better writing chapters, but hopefully it's satisfactory. Thanks to those that reviewed. I really like reading how you like it or any concerns that you have. Please, take the time to review and enjoy.

Is There a Woogy in the House?

The Halliwell Manor

The manor shook violently as an aftershock shot through San Francisco. Pictures fell from the walls or tilted at an awkward angle and glassware slipped off their shelves and shattered on the hard wood floors before everything settled. As quick as it had come, it had gone again and only moments later the four Halliwell sisters ran down the stairs.

"Oh god, not another aftershock!" Phoebe exclaimed, keeping close to her sisters while her eyes flickered nervously around at the walls as if she expected them to come down around her.

"Yeah, well, at least they're getting smaller." Prue pointed out casually. "What was the main one? 4.3?" She asked, looking over her shoulder toward Piper for an answer.

Piper was the first to hit the main floor and immediately veered to straighten their pictures that had toppled over. "The radio said 4.5." She answered with a slight shrug.

Paige narrowed her eyes at the now-messy floor and crossed her arms with a loud sigh. "Yes and the house is a mess again. We're not going to be able to keep it clean if the aftershocks don't stop."

Prue paled at Paige's accurate observation and looked to Piper for some kind of reassurance that her dinner party wasn't going to be ruined.

Phoebe didn't appear to be paying attention to her sisters' conversation and carefully straightened a picture of their Grams on the wall. "There you go, Grams." Phoebe mumbled to the picture before turning away. "Earthquakes give me the jeebies." She admitted, shivering slightly at the very thought.

"Would that be the Phoebe Jeebies?" Prue quipped, unable to resist the temptation as she picked up a vase of flowers that had miraculously not shattered.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and cast a playful glare in Prue's direction. "Oh, you know, the comedy stylings of Prue Halliwell." She jibed in return.

"The only Halliwell that actually likes earthquakes." Piper added, beginning to make her way toward the kitchen with the others slowly following behind her.

"I don't like them, but I don't go running through the house naked, screaming 'run for your life' either." Prue argued casting a glance of amusement toward Phoebe.

"Okay, that is such an exaggeration." Phoebe insisted, not appreciating the tease.

Paige nodded in agreement but there was a mischievous glint in her dark brown eyes. "Yeah, guys, she was wearing slippers." She reminded them, only to receive a slap from Phoebe because of her 'betrayal.'

Prue was the second to enter the kitchen and she immediately stopped in the doorway causing Phoebe and Paige to crash into her. With a glare in their direction she slowly walked after Piper. "Okay, okay, okay, does anybody smell that?" She demanded, obviously only directing it to Piper.

"Uh, yeah, I caught a whiff of it first thing this morning. I think it's coming from the basement." Piper explained.

"Gas leak?" Prue squeaked with wide eyes.

Piper shrugged and turned her gaze to her elder sister's. "I don't know, but I called somebody to check it out. They should be here…" She trailed off as the doorbell rang. "…Now. I'll get it." Piper offered, squeezing around the crowded table to head to the front door.

"We're never gonna pull this off." Prue fretted the moment Piper had left her sight. She froze where she was with wide blue eyes flickering to her younger sisters.

"It's going to be okay, Prue." Paige reassured her gently.

"Yeah, until the house blows up." Prue returned before taking a moment to steady herself. "Look, this Bucklands VIP specifically requested for the dinner party to be here. Now, Claire may have prodded me into agreeing, but the point is… I did agree… and, and…" Prue trailed off as the thought began to freak her out.

Phoebe listened silently through her rant and nodded sympathetically. "Nothing has changed. Piper's gonna cook a feast, Paige is gonna charm your guests, I will serve with grace, and Claire is gonna kiss your ass…" Phoebe paused as Piper coughed pointedly, announcing the presence of the gas man. "…tronomical talents." She amended. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige turned to politely greet the gas man.

"Morning ladies." The gas man greeted and took a moment to survey the area. "Wow, that's the smell, huh?" Paige nodded quickly and the gas man slowly frowned thoughtfully.

"It doesn't really smell like gas."

Prue took several nervous steps forward. "Yeah, but if it is we can't light the stove. No stove. No dinner." Prue exclaimed, only stopping when Piper came around behind her and linked arms with her.

"Relax. If we have to, I can have it cooked at the restaurant and brought here." Piper offered and Prue nodded enthusiastically, grabbing hold of any assurance sent at her.

"Well, let me check it out and see what's up." The gas man suggested, looking from sister to sister.

"The basement is through that door." Paige pointed in the corresponding direction and watched as he disappeared down the stairs.

Piper grinned and couldn't resist jibing at Phoebe. "Look, Phoebe, he's going into the basement, alone."

Phoebe rolled her eyes and glared at Piper. "Don't even start." She snapped.

"Yeah, what if, dare I say it, the Boogeyman gets him." Prue jumped in, temporarily forgetting that she should be worrying about her dinner party.

Paige frowned in confusion and tilted her head to the side questioningly. "The Boogeyman?" She asked curiously.

"Actually, I believe Phoebe pronounced it Woogyman, or was that just the buck teeth?" Piper continued with a glance at Prue as if asking though it was rhetorical.

"Okay, I was five years old you guys." Phoebe pointed out defensively.

Prue nodded in mock understanding. "Oh, so what, you're over it now, and that's why you haven't been down there in what? Fifteen years?"

Piper glanced in Paige's direction. "You wouldn't have been here yet." She explained before motioning for Paige to lean closer. She quickly whispered the main details in the youngest Halliwell's ear.

Paige started to giggle softly not but a few moments later. "You believed in the Boogeyman?" Paige giggled in disbelief.

Phoebe slammed her fist down on the table in frustration. "You guys were not there…" She accused, pointing a finger at them. "… It was real. It was…"

"A story." Piper finished with a laugh. "Grams told you she got rid of the Woogyman in the basement so you could sleep better." Piper laughed.

Phoebe didn't really have a counter for that and settled for glaring defiantly at her three sisters.

~PO4~

The gas man surveyed the basement curiously, his eyes eventually landing on a huge crack in the foundation. He didn't notice the figure step out of the shadows behind him until Alex had waved his hand at the man. The gas man's eyes glazed over to be replaced with a blank look as Alex stepped around him. Alex kneeled down beside the deep crack and used the gas man's screwdriver, that he had acquired, to open it up more. A shadow spewed from within and Alex immediately stepped back. He waved his hand at the gas man and the man's eyes widened in fear as they took in the shadow, never once did he see Alex and the warlock had soon faded away.

The shadow wrapped around the terrified gas man. "You have freed me and now you will help take back the house." The shadow announced ominously as he entered the man's body. The gas man suddenly smirked and looked back toward the door that led upstairs.

~PO4~

Back upstairs, Piper flipped through the day's mail, passing most of it to Prue, she looked questioningly down at an envelope that was left. "Who is Chanda Lier?" Piper wondered.

"Oh, that's me. I ordered some CD's." Phoebe explained, taking the package eagerly.

"Ooh, what'd you get?" Paige demanded, skipping up beside Phoebe to look over the older Halliwell's shoulder. "Are we even allowed to do that?"

Piper rolled her eyes. "No, it's dishonest." She replied, speaking as if explaining to a five year old. Paige cast her a soft glare before she turned her attention back to the CD's that Phoebe had pulled out.

"Is Phoebe's dark side rearing its ugly head?" Prue questioned with a giggle.

Phoebe glanced up, offended. "I do not have a dark side, thank you very much. And just because I protect the innocent does not mean I have to be innocent all the time." She pointed out.

"Ooh, I don't know, still believing in the Woogyman is pretty innocent." Piper countered teasingly. "It's so cute too." She gushed.

"Well, you didn't think it was so cute when we were all sharing a room which kept you up all night." Prue argued, slipping her purse onto her shoulder. "Paige, if you want a ride, I'm about to leave." She added with a glance in Paige's direction.

"It was scary and it was real." Phoebe insisted while Paige laughed openly as she grabbed her jacket off the table. Everyone stopped and turned toward the basement as the gas man suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs.

Piper was the first to speak after it became apparent the gas man was waiting for some acknowledgement. "So what's the verdict?" She asked.

"Bad." The Gas man replied shortly.

Prue paled and laughed nervously. "Bad, as in, destroy my entire dinner party or bad, as in, you can fix it quickly, it'll just cost more than my entire education?" Prue demanded snappily.

"By tonight, there will be no more problems." The gas man answered cryptically. Without another word he turned and disappeared into the basement.

Prue stared after him in confusion and suspicion. "Okay… I'm off." She decided, turning away with Paige having to hurry to catch up with her.

"Bye, Pheebs." Paige called over her shoulder.

Piper smiled and passed Phoebe the remaining mail. "Yeah, I gotta go too. I'm going to the wine store." She announced following Prue and Paige out.

"Thanks." Phoebe mumbled, tossing the mail to the side.

~PO4~

The gas man stared at his shadow on the wall. "Which one do you want?" He asked it.

At the top of the stairs, Phoebe hung around nervously. "Uh, I'll just be up here if you need me." She offered. She rolled her eyes when she didn't get a response and left.

The shadow lifted his hand and pointed at the stairs. "Phoebe…"

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue moved around her office, carefully picking up fallen artifacts, books, pictures, and even her desk lamp and returned them to their proper places. As she stood up from picking up a stack of paperwork, she noticed the tilted picture on the wall. With a slight narrowing of her eyes the picture straightened out partially but she was interrupted by the footsteps that were coming toward her office.

Claire came in, just after Prue had stopped using her telekinesis, and saw her employee observing the picture. "A little down on the left." Claire pointed out helpfully, causing Prue to spin around.

"Thanks." Prue appreciated, biting her lip slightly before closing the distance between her and the picture and manually straightening it. "Uh, so was this your first quake?" She wondered politely as she dropped her stack of papers on her desk.

Claire gave the slightest of nods. "And hopefully my last. I prefer my ceilings above me." She remarked from where she stood just in the doorway. Her eyes flickered to the paper in her hand before quickly walking toward Prue. "Alright, this is the final guest list for tonight. All important clients to me, to Bucklands, and therefore to you. At the top of the list…"

Prue quickly skimmed the paper. "Professor Whittlesey. Didn't she just buy the Caldor?" Prue asked.

"Well, her family did and they can afford to buy much, much more. And for whatever reason, she's fascinated by your house so your job is to keep her happy." Claire replied.

Prue started to say something but stopped as none other than Professor Whittlesey walked in. She knocked on the door to announce her presence. "Excuse me. Claire, I will be bringing a guest if that's alright." Professor Whittlesey explained.

"Of course." Claire allowed before turning back to Prue. "Prue, tonight is going to be five plus one." Prue's eyes widened slightly at the short notice but she refrained from arguing despite feeling Piper's outrage shoot through her due to the mysterious telepathic bond.

"So it's your home then?" Professor Whittlesey guessed, looking at Prue with an enthusiastic expression.

Prue smiled wide and nodded. "Yeah." She admitted.

"Oh, oh, oh! Prue Halliwell, Professor Whittlesey." Claire introduced the two.

"Beth." Professor Whittlesey corrected politely as she shook hands with Prue. "I can't tell you how excited I am to be spending an evening in a house with such history."

"I understand you know a lot about the Halliwell history?" Prue prompted the polite conversation with a glance in Claire's direction.

Professor Whittlesey smiled but shrugged slightly. "Well, I'm better versed on the house's structure than its inhabitants." She elaborated.

"The Professor's tenured at Berkley." Claire added for Prue's benefit, who nodded in acknowledgement.

"Architectural history." Professor Whittlesey offered before continuing. "As a matter of fact I use your house as an example in one of my lectures."

Prue couldn't suppress the smile at the irony. Their house was practically falling apart on the inside. "Really, well, do you mention the leaky roof and limited hot water?" She quipped.

Professor Whittlesey glanced at Prue before turning to Claire, the only person not well acquainted with the house's history. "Well, the original house that stood on that spot was a masterpiece, but it had to be rebuilt after the earthquake of 1906 when it was completely destroyed." The professor explained.

"That's right around the time my great grandparents moved in." Prue agreed.

"Metaphysicists believe the land to be what they call a spiritual nexus." Professor Whittlesey continued.

Claire suddenly jumped into the conversation before it could go any farther. "But it's still standing after this morning's rumble." She announced enthusiastically. "So, okay, gotta go, gotta go, see you at seven." Claire started to follow Professor Whittlesey out Prue's office door but stopped just in the door way. "Plus one." Claire reminded with slightly narrowed eyes.

Prue frowned as Claire and Professor Whittlesey left her office and finally turned her attention to Piper, whom had been cursing ever since Professor Whittlesey had announced she was bringing another guest.

Prue, will you quit ignoring me. I'm yelling at you!

No offense but I think it would have looked suspicious if I didn't respond to them because I was trying to listen to you…

Yeah, 'that's right around the time my great grandparents moved in.' That had nothing to do with what they were talking about. Good job. (Sarcasm) Bite me.

This is the last time we ever do a dinner party. Seriously plus one the day of the dinner.

Don't yell at me, it's not my fault.

You so owe me…

You're the best sister ever! (False cheer)

I don't appreciate the cheer. Now go away, I'm trying to find Calera Jensen '93.

Okay, that sounds exciting… not

Do NOT block me, Prue Halliwell. Someone might kidnap you again.

Eh.

Prue… (Warning!)

Fine! You win.

Muahahaha! I'm victorious against the mighty Prue Halliwell. Next, world domination!

…

Piper took the opportune silence to reach out to grab the bottle of wine only for her hand to swipe through air where it had been seconds before. She spun around looking for it to find a young, handsome, blonde-haired man reading the label. "Hey, that's…"

The man glanced up at her and smirked. "Calera Jensen '93, last bottle." He replied.

"… Mine." Piper finished with a glare. She hurriedly glanced around her for a different wine that they might be able to trade for. "Why don't you try this? It's got a robust flavor, good nose, great vintage, it's probably better than the Calera." Piper suggested, holding out the bottle of wine for him.

"I'm impressed." The man admitted, his eyes flickering over Piper with interest. "… But why do you want this so bad?" He wondered curiously.

"Because it's got a great body." Piper answered immediately, only to pause when she felt Prue's amusement shoot through her, effectively making her all the more angry.

'It's got a great body.' Smooth, Piper.

What did I do to get stuck with you? Piper could almost feel Prue stick her tongue out at her in a teasing manner in response. With a roll of her brown eyes, she glanced back at the irritating man. "Look, I'm making coq au vin and I need that bottle more than you." She insisted.

The man rolled his eyes, also getting fairly irritated. "Look, I'm sorry, but I've already been to three wine stores, lunch break is long over, and I was told this was the bottle to get." He argued.

Piper laughed mirthlessly and slammed the other bottle of wine down where she had gotten it. "Told?" She pressed, crossing her arms in aggravation.

"Well, the woman who recommended this grew up on a vineyard and she does know how to choose wine." He explained with grin.

"Well, I grew up in a house with three sisters and I know how to do this." Piper snapped, throwing her hands out and freezing him and the rest of the wine store. For a moment she reached out to take the wine but stopped herself. "Oh, I can't. I can't use my powers for personal gain. But- but it's not really personal gain exactly."

Go on, Piper. I dare you to take the wine. (Teasing)

You are a bad influence, Prudence Halliwell. Piper thought irritably before spinning on her heel and stomping out. "Damn, you can keep the wine." She called over her shoulder even though everyone was still frozen. As she left his sight, the wine store unfroze, everyone's business continuing as if nothing had happened.

~PO4~

South Bay Social Services

Paige was sitting at her desk, filling out the stack of paperwork that littered every inch of the table. Suddenly, a flash of red caught her eye and she looked up to see a large bouquet of roses that completely blocked her view of the holder though she knew it was Alex. She forced a grin at her boyfriend-under-suspicion-of-being-a-demon.

"Hey." She greeted cheerfully, standing up and allowing him to wrap his arms around her and kiss her before taking the flowers from him.

"Would you be opposed to come to lunch with me? I have a class tonight and tomorrow night." Alex asked hopefully.

Paige smiled at the offer but shook her head. "I'm sorry. I have get back home and help set up. I'm just turning in these papers first." She apologized.

"Right, the dinner party is tonight. How's Prue handling it? Last time I saw her I thought she was going to pass out." Alex joked.

"Not really any different." Paige answered with soft giggle in agreement. "How about we go out this weekend instead?" Paige suggested instead, carefully changing the subject away from her sister.

Alex didn't seem to notice anything hasty about the change in subject. "Sounds good. I'll call you. I should let you get back to work."

"Thanks." Paige appreciated, giving him one more hug before he left. As soon as he had disappeared, Paige dropped back into her chair and absently thought about how she was going to figure this dilemma with him out.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe traversed through the Manor on the way to the kitchen when her eyes landed on the picture of her Grams. She stopped her progress and regarded the picture curiously as it was once again crooked. Slowly, she reached out and straightened it for the second time that day.

"Help me!" The gas man's voice broke Phoebe from her train of thought as his voice carried easily through the silent house. Phoebe immediately ran to the kitchen, the general direction.

"Where are you?" Phoebe called, her eyes scouring the kitchen.

"Please, help me!" He yelled again.

Phoebe turned toward the door to the basement where the voice seemed to be coming from. She very hesitantly approached it. "Uh, what's wrong?" She asked.

"Uh, I-I fell." The gas man fabricated. "I think I may have sprained something, my ankle. I could really use a hand." He continued.

Phoebe bit her lip and leaned against the door frame. "Right… a hand… I'm okay." She mumbled to herself before raising her voice so that he could hear her. "Um, I'm coming!"

Keeping one hand on the wall for support she stepped down the first step, only to be pulled into a premonition as her hand brushed against a picture of her sisters, her, and their Grams.

Their grandmother was in the basement, holding her hand out against a laughing shadow. Her back was to little Phoebe.

"Grams?" Little Phoebe called.

Grams turned around half-way to see her granddaughter. "Phoebe, go back to bed, honey. Go on." She pressed, her voice soothing.

Phoebe jerked out of the premonition and she stumbled back up the step fearfully. "The Woogyman…" She whispered in realization. She now regarded the doorway to the basement with renewed terror. "Uh, you know, I think I'm just gonna call somebody for some help." Phoebe told the gas man. There was no way she was going down there.

"No, please. I need your help." The gas man replied, stopping Phoebe from turning away.

"Okay…" Phoebe mumbled, taking several deep breaths before she forced herself down the steps, one hand tight on the rail for support. She finally stepped down the last step and looked around for the injured gas man. "Hello? Where are you?" She asked, trying to see through the dark for him. Phoebe spun around as he stepped behind her and blocked her way to the stairs. She backed up, almost tripping in her haste to get away. "I thought you said you were…" Phoebe began but trailed off as she heard her name in a voice that sent shivers down her spine. The shadow had swirled around behind her. "Phoebe…"

Phoebe desperately looked for a way out as her nightmare came alive. "No." She denied with wide brown eyes.

"Your nightmares are true, I exist." The shadow, named by Phoebe as the Woogyman, continued.

"I'm a good witch. You can't take me." Phoebe answered defiantly.

"You'll fight me at first, but in the end, you will do everything I ask." The Woogyman replied as he possessed the younger of the middle Halliwell sisters.

In response, Phoebe immediately calmed and smirked as she heard the front door open.

~PO4~

Piper kicked the front door open, her arms laden with the grocery bags that made it increasingly difficult to get the door open. "Don't worry. I can handle it all myself. It's me, the culinary pachyderm." She snapped to the empty room. Piper stepped across the threshold and jumped as she was shocked by the front door. "Ow!" She screeched, staring uncertainly at the door. "Uh, Phoebe, maybe we should call someone to check the electricity too." She suggested loudly, assuming her sister was in hearing range. Piper threw her purse on the table next to the door, careful not to drop the groceries. Her eyes narrowed in surprise as Kit meowed loudly and ran out the door as if in fright. "Kit? Hey!" She  
called after the cat, though obviously didn't get a response in return. "Pheebs?" Piper tried to get a response from her younger sister. With a loud sigh of frustration, Piper stumbled into the kitchen and dropped the heavy bags on the counter. "Oh God!" She screamed when she turned around to find the gas man standing creepily behind her. "You scared me." Piper admitted, her hand flying to her heart while she laughed softly at her fright. "Is everything okay with the house?" She wondered.

"It will be." The gas man answered, taking a step closer to Piper.

Piper narrowed her eyes dangerously and took a step away from him. "Good. Could I get E.T.A? Because I'm gonna have one very stressed out sister…" Piper trailed off as he took another step toward her so that he was uncomfortably close. Prue, Prue! He's advancing… She thought, mentally prodding her elder sister for her attention. Before Prue could even respond, the gas man had taken another step toward Piper. "Have you seen my sister?" Piper threatened, as she stepped back into the counter.

The gas man suddenly reached out and grabbed Piper's arm, causing her to yelp in surprise. He pushed her against the table and pulled her arm behind her back so she couldn't freeze him.

"Prue! Phoebe! Phoebe! Paige! Phoebe!" Piper screamed for someone's help. Anyone's would be great. She could see the gas man reaching over her, trying to grab the carving fork just out of his reach.

Phoebe came running in and stopped short at the scene in front of her. She started forward when a bat conjured in her hand. With hardly a thought at it, Phoebe swung at the gas man, hitting him hard enough that he fell to the ground unconscious and effectively released Piper.

"Phoebe… he just…" Piper stuttered, jumping away from the unconscious man.

Phoebe quickly reached out to steady the surprised Piper. "It's okay. It's okay."

"I thought he was going to kill me. I didn't even have a chance to freeze him… where'd you get the bat?" Piper asked, tilting her head in confusion as it finally registered that Phoebe had hit the man with a bat.

Phoebe glanced down at it equally confused now that the adrenaline had worn off. "Uh, I don't know. It just sort of appeared." She admitted hesitantly.

Piper narrowed her eyes even more. "What do you mean it appeared? Like you opened a closet and found it or you thought 'bat' and there it was?"

"Yeah, door number two. I can't explain it, but something weird happened to me in the…" Phoebe trailed off with a shudder.

Piper appeared irritated at the lack of explanation. "What? Phoebe, spill, how'd you make the bat materialize?" She demanded.

Phoebe ignored Piper and glanced in the direction of the gas man who was lying on the floor. "Safety first, witchcraft later. We gotta call 911." Phoebe decided.

"Um, I think Prue's already done that…" Piper started, but nonetheless followed Phoebe out of the room and toward the phone.

~PO4~

"This doesn't track." Andy commented to his partner. Both of them had been called to the scene regarding the gas man's attack on Piper and Andy was looking over the gas man's record.

"What's that?" Darryl asked half-heartedly. At this point he'd begun to realize everything involving the Halliwell sisters 'didn't track.'

Andy slowly followed Darryl as he continued to flip through the information. "I just got the background on the gas man. He doesn't have a record. Not even a parking ticket." Andy explained. "A family man, church volunteer, Little League coach." He read off.

"When good coaches go bad, next week on Fox." Darryl joked.

Paige parked her car along the side of the road as their driveway was still blocked by the police and ambulances. She quickly noticed Andy and Darryl and ran toward them. "What happened?" She wondered as soon as she was in hearing range of the two officers.

Andy stepped around Darryl and stopped just in front of Paige. "The gas man that was checking your house got a little rough with Piper." He explained.

Paige's mouth dropped in surprise but before she could even begin to respond, Prue came running up to them.

"Is Piper in the house?" Prue demanded. It was obvious that she wasn't really waiting for an answer as she was already heading for the driveway. She didn't really need an answer anyway. It was only when Andy gently, but firmly grabbed her arm and Darryl stepped in front of her that she paused to regard them. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the hold up.

"We have to ask you a few questions." Andy answered her silent question. "Don't worry, Piper is fine." He added reassuringly. He nodded for Darryl to go ahead.

"Where were you when you called in the attack?" Darryl questioned professionally.

Prue clearly thought this questioning was wasting her time but nevertheless answered. "At work."

"How did you know to call it in?" Darryl asked, pulling out a little notebook and pen to record on.

Prue blinked and forced herself not to glance at Paige. "I was on the phone with her." She lied.

"He attacked Piper while you were on the phone with her?" Andy repeated. It was actually one of the more logical explanations she had ever given him, but there was a guarded expression in her eyes that hinted that it wasn't as simple as that.

"Yes…" Prue replied with a hint of defiance in her voice.

Darryl nodded slightly, writing it down. "Okay, so you hung up with Piper while she was being attacked to call 911?" He guessed.

Andy cast Darryl a warning glance while Paige crossed her arms and sent him her own dangerous glare. "Can't questions wait until we make sure Piper is okay for ourselves?" Paige snapped.

Prue waved her hand slightly in Paige's direction, silently indicating it was okay. "I have a cell phone, you know. I was talking to Piper on my cell and I clearly called 911 with my office phone." Prue explained coldly. With that she slipped out of Andy's grasp and continued her way to her younger sister.

Paige jumped between Andy and Darryl, 'accidently' blocking them from trying to stop Prue's departure and quickly hurried after her eldest sister.

"Prue, wait…" Andy tried to call after her, but she either didn't hear him because of all the sirens and vehicles or she ignored him.

She pulled the door open and rushed in with Paige on her heels. Both sisters jumped as they were shocked but Prue forgot about it almost immediately as she thought to check on Piper. She halted just inside the doorway to the conservatory, nearly falling over as Paige, who did not know everyone was in the conservatory, didn't stop in time and went sliding into Prue.

"Ow…" Paige mumbled, casting Prue an apologetic glance before turning her wide brown eyes on Piper. "Are you okay, Piper?"

Piper nodded and smiled reassuringly at her two other sisters. "Yeah, I'm fine, forget it." She assured them, from where she was leaning comfortably against the couch.

Prue frowned, unconvinced. "Are you sure? Did he hurt you?" She questioned hastily.

"No, Phoebe stopped him." Piper insisted before turning to the last Halliwell sister. "Go on, show them." She ordered, causing Prue and Paige to exchange a glance in confusion.

Prue spoke up first as she was mentally filled in. "You conjured something?" Prue exclaimed, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Paige appeared even more confused. "Conjuring? That's not your power…" She commented.

"Obviously." Phoebe snapped, sending a glare at Paige.

Piper's eyes narrowed warningly at Phoebe for her snappish remark to Paige. "Show them." She ordered again.

Phoebe turned her glare on Piper. "I told you I can't do it now." She reminded harshly, picking at her cuticles for something to do.

"What did you do?" Paige wondered curiously.

Prue, Piper, and Paige waited for Phoebe to explain, but it became apparent Phoebe wasn't going to answer. Piper stood up and walked to stand next to Prue and Paige. "She thought of a baseball bat and 'poof' it appeared." She explained with a dramatic hand motion.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "I just did it once." She pointed out.

"And it saved my life. I would think that you'd be thrilled. You've always wanted an active power." Piper continued, exasperated with this conversation and Phoebe's uncharacteristic coldness.

"Whatever." Phoebe replied, drawing the word out.

Prue shook her head at this newest phenomenon. "Wait a second, time out. Our powers are supposed to progress, not grow at random and if it did grow, I would think that it would at least be premonition-esque." The eldest Halliwell sister observed. She smiled suddenly as if she just figured the puzzle out. "I smell Book of Shadows. Did you do something?"

Phoebe's eyes flashed indignantly and jumped to her feet. "I just saved Piper's ass. Where were you?" She demanded, the accusation clear in her voice.

"Phoebe…" Piper warned.

Phoebe spun on the next oldest sister. "Prue's just pissy because this time she didn't get to play Wonder Woman." Her gaze returned to Prue. "I'm not in the mood to soothe your ego."

Paige stared after Phoebe and only spoke after she had disappeared into the next room. "What's happened to her? I haven't seen her that pissed off since before she left for New York."

Prue just shrugged in reply. "Tonight's gonna be fun." She remarked sarcastically.

"She'll be fine. Everything will be fine." Piper assured them quickly.

"Maybe if we lock her in her room…" Paige agreed with a shrug.

~PO4~

Phoebe invariably made her way through the house back to the basement where she turned to her shadow on the wall. "Thanks for my new power." She appreciated, pointedly conjuring a nail file.

"You must not fail me again. You must use your power against your sisters." The Woogyman reminded her in his creepily airy voice.

Phoebe suddenly appeared uncertain and started to back away. "Please don't make me do this. I don't want to hurt them." Phoebe pleaded.

The Woogyman laughed in response. "Phoebe, you are not strong enough to fight me."

~PO4~

Hours later, Phoebe was still seated in the basement, filing her nails though she was now dressed in her chosen party dress.

"It is almost time, Phoebe. Use your powers." The Woogyman ordered her.

Phoebe showed no acknowledgement that he'd spoken to her and instead conjured matching red nail polish to replace the bright blue that had been on her nails. She smirked and slowly stood from her chair.

~PO4~

Piper reached out to turn the blender on but jerked her hand back as it shocked her. "Fu…" She bit her lip to stop herself from cursing. "Flour…" She amended, tightly shutting her eyes until the pain faded.

"There is lava water spewing from the shower heads. Did you turn up the water heater again?" Prue asked hastily just a moment later as she came in the kitchen.

Piper turned slightly to see her eldest sister wrapped in a bathrobe and ready to take a shower. "No… no." Piper answered in confusion.

At that moment, Paige came running in, holding one of her hands out ahead of her. "Ice, I need ice!" She pleaded to her sisters.

Prue immediately moved to the fridge and pulled out one of their always ready ice packs and passed one to Paige. "What happened to you?" She wondered as Paige took the ice pack and placed it on a blistering hand.

"The stupid curling iron burnt me." Paige replied, wincing as the coldness met her blister.

"That's why you're not supposed to touch the hot part, Paigey." Piper pointed out mildly.

Paige rolled her eyes. "It wasn't even turned on. How was I supposed to know it was hot? Did you use it already?" She asked turning to Prue.

Prue shook her head but before anyone could say anything else, Piper reached out to turn the food processor on and was again shocked, resulting in another jump backwards.

"Ow!" She screeched, turning narrowed eyes to her oldest and youngest sister. "Alright, the earthquake must of messed up the wiring or something. Try cooking a feast when your own kitchen is attacking you!" Piper exclaimed.

"Okay, everybody, just relax. We still have an hour before…" Prue trailed off as the doorbell rang. Prue's eyes widened and she glanced back at the door in disbelief. Paige bit her lip nervously and hastily spun in a circle looking for a clock while Piper glanced down at her watch in confusion.

"7 o'clock?" Piper read. "How can that be… the clock on the microwave…" She stuttered, pointing toward it. As they watched the microwave time that said six began to blink before turning off completely.

Prue frowned even more. "Something weird is going on." She observed nervously.

"What do we do?" Paige demanded in a whisper.

"Uh…" Prue began but trailed off as she saw Phoebe come up from the basement.

"Is anyone gonna answer that?" Phoebe questioned harshly.

Piper looked up in surprise, her eyes flickering from Phoebe to the door of the basement. "Phoebe?"

Paige was probably the most confused out of all of them. "Weren't you afraid of the basement this morning?" She wondered curiously.

"Yeah, what about the Woogyman?" Prue agreed.

Phoebe shrugged as she sauntered toward them. "It's just a story, remember?" Then she turned her attention specifically to Prue. "You should probably finish getting ready." She remarked, heading past them to answer the front door. Leaving her sisters in the kitchen, she opened the door to find the dinner guests on the threshold including Claire and Professor Whittlesey. "Welcome to Halliwell Manor. My name is Phoebe. I'll be your cruise director this evening." Phoebe slowly stepped away to let them. Paige joined her a moment later while Prue slipped back up the stairs to quickly get ready.

~PO4~

"Everything is fine. This is fine." Piper muttered to herself, desperately trying to believe it. She started to pour a cup of flour but ended up getting it everywhere, including all over herself. "This is utter disaster!" She hissed, dramatically throwing everything down on the table. "I am a good person. What did I do to deserve this?" Piper exclaimed, dropping her head into her arms.

Unbeknownst to her, the guy from the wine store that had stolen her wine came into the kitchen. "Paige told me to give this to the chef." He explained, holding the previously mentioned bottle of wine.

Piper's head snapped up and she glared at him dangerously as she recognized him. "You!" She accused.

"Well, most people call me Josh." He returned with a roll of his eyes. He slowly looked over her and at the disastrous kitchen. "Uh, wow, um, I work for Professor Whittlesey."

"You're the plus one." Piper realized coldly.

"And I stole your wine." Josh agreed, handing the wine to her somewhat apologetically.

Piper roughly took it from him. "Calera Jensen, what a surprise." She replied sarcastically.

"Last bottle." He chuckled nervously. "Uh, you have flour on your… right… uh…" Josh pointed, trying to be helpful but failing. Piper, annoyed with everything, tried to wipe it all off but missed the majority. "Perfect." Josh lied, deciding it better to just let it be. He slipped out just as Phoebe slipped in.

"Are you planning on feeding the people in the living room?" Phoebe wondered.

Piper suddenly glanced around the kitchen. "Of course, uh, I've got… What've I got?" She asked herself, spinning in circles and realizing she really hadn't managed to fix anything yet.

Phoebe's eyes flickered to land on a large roasting pan. "What's in there?"

"Duck medallions." Piper answered, running forward when Phoebe started for it. "No, no, that's supposed to be part of dinner." Phoebe stared at her incredulously. "Okay, now I guess it's an appetizer." Piper conceded. "Hey, Paige, help Phoebe." She ordered as the youngest Halliwell sister walked past the kitchen.

Paige glanced at the large pan with narrowed eyes. "Next time, we're so hiring some help." She muttered, picking it up, and assuming Phoebe would hold the doors for her.

"That's right. Go, mingle, mingle, mingle." Piper shooed the other two out.

~PO4~

"The Manor's been beautifully restored…" Professor Whittlesey was saying when Prue finally made it to the party. "…Really quite magnificent." She finished.

Claire nodded in agreement and smiled politely at Prue. "Prue, there you are."

Prue smiled and waved back as Phoebe, followed by Paige who was carrying the duck medallions came in from the kitchen. Paige sat the pan down on the table in front of the guests.

"Anyone hungry?" Phoebe asked rhetorically.

"Well, what do we have here?" Claire wondered curiously as the food was obscured by the top of the pan.

"Duck medallions." Phoebe answered just as Paige pulled the top off. Instead of food a real and alive duck was under it. "Sans medallions."

Paige's mouth dropped in disbelief as she stared at the duck while Prue's eyes widened dramatically. Everyone gasped at the sight of the quacking duck until Prue forced a laugh to cover the surprise. "That's my sister, the magician. Usually it's a dove or a rabbit." Prue joked, exchanging a nervous glance with Paige, who also followed Prue's lead and laughed. Professor Whittlesey found it particularly amusing. Prue and Paige both glared inconspicuously at Phoebe as she returned to the kitchen.

~PO4~

"Lightly simmering…" Piper whispered to the stove, slowly turning the flame up. It suddenly flamed so high that the pan was engulfed completely by the fire. Piper jumped a little and hastily turned it back down. "Okay, okay." She turned it off and backed away. "Sabotage. I am being sabotaged." Piper accused to no one in particular.

"What seems to be the problem?" Phoebe asked, leaning casually against the nearby table.

Piper sighed and slowly turned to Phoebe. "There is something terribly wrong with the house." She began but was cut off by a loud gurgling sound behind her. She spun around to find the sink spewing out dirty brown water. "Oh my god! Oh my god!" Piper exclaimed, running forward. "Phoebe, call a plumber." She ordered.

Phoebe ignored her and followed after her. A knife appeared in her hand that she pointed at Piper's exposed back.

"This is complete and utter disaster! Somebody just kill me now and save me the agony of clean-up!" Piper finished dramatically.

Phoebe lifted the knife ready to stab it forward. "Ask and you shall receive."

The knife disappeared as Josh came back into the kitchen. "Is everything alright in here?" He wondered and then looked around at the kitchen in disgust. "And people pay you to do this?"

Piper breathed deeply to calm her rising anger and frustration. "Phoebe, will you please escort Mr. Congeniality out of here now." She snapped, causing Phoebe to flinch at her raised voice. "And get Prue; tell her it's an emergency!" She called after Phoebe.

~PO4~

"There's no other house in the city quite like yours." Professor Whittlesey commented as she and Prue walked through the house, allowing the professor to get a good look around.

Prue tilted her head to the side questioningly. "Because of its architecture?" She asked, glancing around her and trying to see what was so special about it.

Professor Whittlesey shook her head slightly. "Because of its location." Professor Whittlesey corrected politely.

"Right, you mentioned that, something about some sort of spiritual…" Prue trailed off uncertainly.

"Nexus." Professor Whittlesey finished her thought. "It's mythology really, but it's believed that when a geographical point is equal distance from the five spiritual elements, it's a place of great power." She elaborated.

Prue bit her lip as the lights began to flicker on and off. "Power failure…" She quipped, effectively earning a laugh from Professor Whittlesey. She decided it might be best to apologize before something particularly bad happened. "Um, I don't know what is going on, but I apologize for any inconvenience…"

"Prue, Piper needs you in the kitchen." Phoebe interrupted her sister's apology. Prue hesitated, glancing from Phoebe to Professor Whittlesey uncertainly. "Oh, don't worry; I'll take very good care of your guest." She promised.  
Prue forced a smile to Professor Whittlesey and a warning glare at Phoebe before heading for the kitchen.

Phoebe waited until Prue was out of earshot before speaking again. "You came to see the house. Would you like the grand tour?"

Professor Whittlesey smiled and nodded enthusiastically at the offer.

~PO4~

Prue stopped just inside the door of the kitchen as she found Piper on the floor letting out her frustration through a tantrum. The place was a bigger mess than she had ever seen it before. She hesitantly stepped forward to pull Piper to her feet. "Okay, aren't you the same girl who said, and I quote 'everything will be fine?'?" Prue reminded her.

"Yep." Piper admitted shortly.

"And…?" Prue prompted in disbelief.

Piper shrugged. "It's not." She answered simply. "I don't know what it is, but it's like the house is possessed." She elaborated dramatically.

"No, no, no. It's Phoebe and her new powers." Prue argued softly.

"Look, I know that she's been acting weird lately, but she wanted… I would argue if I could think of another option." Piper gave up with a loud sigh.

Behind them, Claire came up from the living room with a nervous Paige trailing behind her. "Uh, Prue." Claire called for her employee's attention. "Ahh!" She screamed as the duck waddled in, quacking loudly. Prue's eyes widened but she forced another smile. She was getting really tired of all these forced smiles. Claire rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Prue. "May I speak to you for a second?"

Prue nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I'll be out in one second, Claire." She promised in her most innocent voice.

Claire spun around and walked out of sight and Paige ran in after glancing around behind her several times. "I'm sorry. She's getting suspicious and I've run out of excuses." Paige explained guiltily.

"What do we do?" Prue demanded, her eyes flickering from Piper to Paige and back again. Nowhere near as calm as she had been pretending.

"I don't know, but I can't cook this meal. Not in this kitchen and it's too late to get it from Quake." Piper announced in frustration.

Prue sighed loudly but gave the slightest of nods. "Okay, um, let's just end it now before it gets any worse. Be my wingmen?" She asked hopefully.

"Sure." Paige agreed while Piper grunted and pulled her messy apron off, dropping it to the floor. They both followed Prue out of the kitchen.

Just as the other three sisters left, Phoebe and Professor Whittlesey entered the kitchen. "Really, I don't need to see the basement." Professor Whittlesey assured Phoebe.

Phoebe just smiled in response. "Are you kidding? It's the best part of the house." She countered, allowing Professor Whittlesey to go on ahead of her.

~PO4~

"Well, as hostess, it's sometimes helpful to be present at the party." Claire pointed out as soon as Prue, Piper, and Paige joined the others in the conservatory.

Prue smiled slightly, choosing to ignore the comment and glanced once more back at Piper and Paige, both of whom gave her encouraging nods. "Uh, Claire, I am so sorry but I'm gonna have to cut this evening short." She explained. Claire frowned immediately and Piper jumped to elaborate.

"We're experiencing some technical difficulties." Piper spoke up.

"We think the earthquake must have messed up some of the wiring with the house." Paige lied, going along with their lead.

"What? Do you realize what you're doing?" Claire demanded.

Prue hesitated but nodded slightly. "Yeah, and I think I'm doing it just in time." She admitted.

"There is a table waiting for all of you at Quake. On the house." Piper added helpfully.

Prue turned around to face Piper. "There is?" She asked under her breath.

Piper nodded. "There will be."

"Convenient." Paige couldn't resist but giggle.

"Where's Phoebe?" Piper questioned, a little louder so the others could hear.

Josh spoke up this time. "I believe she's giving the professor a…"

"Tour." Professor Whittlesey finished as she came in just in time to hear the latter part of the conversation. "She showed me the bedrooms, the solarium; I found the basement to be particularly intriguing."

Prue narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Professor Whittlesey's change in attitude. She seemed colder than before. "Uh, are you okay?" Prue asked politely.

"Fine." Professor Whittlesey answered shortly.

"Okay, well, dinner has been moved. We're having it somewhere else." Prue explained.

Claire suddenly pushed through Paige and Prue to get to Professor Whittlesey. "Oh, Professor, I'm so sorry you didn't get to spend more time in the house." She apologized dramatically.

Professor Whittlesey led the way out the door. "My time was well spent."

Claire lingered behind for Prue to leave her sisters and come outside. "I'm looking forward to hearing your explanation of tonight's events. Need a ride?" She offered.

"Uh, I just have to tie up a few loose ends here. I'll try and make it." Prue replied, stopping at the base of the steps.

Claire didn't stop, nor did she turn to regard Prue. "Try hard." She called over her shoulder.

As the cars of the guests drove off, Piper and Paige, both having grabbed their jackets, joined Prue outside on the steps. "Now what?" Paige wondered curiously.

"Interrogation." Prue answered, turning around to find Phoebe just inside the doorway of the house.

"Looking for me?" She guessed.

Prue glanced at Piper and Paige before questioning. "Why are you doing this?"

"Because he asked me to." Phoebe replied immediately.

"He?" Paige repeated the same time Piper asked. "Who asked you to?"

Phoebe didn't respond to either question and just smirked at her sisters.

Prue rolled her eyes and charged up the steps. "Okay, that's it. We need to ta…" Her sentence trailed off as she started to pass over the threshold and was blocked by a shield of electricity that sent her flying back across the yard, landing heavily in the grass.

"Oh my god! Prue!" Paige screamed, running forward to make sure her eldest sister wasn't hurt.

Piper didn't say anything but had dropped down next to her to do the same thing as Paige. When she'd discerned that Prue was okay she turned flashing eyes on her younger sister. "Phoebe, what's wrong with you? Why won't you let us in?" She yelled.

"No, you can't… you shouldn't…" Phoebe mumbled distractedly as if she wasn't even speaking to her sisters. She stopped and smirked at them again. "You don't live here anymore…" Her voice shifted deeper and demonic sounding. "… He does." With a grin she stepped back and waved her fingers at the door. It shut itself, locking the other three Halliwell sisters outside.

~PO4~

By the next morning the three sisters had found no way into the house. Every attempt sent them flying away from the house, even when Paige tried to orb inside. Thus, there they could be found, leaning against each other at the top of the steps. As Paige pointed out, it was a wonder they hadn't had the police called on them for loitering. Finally, Prue got tired of just sitting around and stood up, once again trying to figure out what was going on with Phoebe.

"Okay, we have been up all night. We've tried everything. If our powers can't get us in the house, what can?" She began for what seemed like the hundredth time.

Piper didn't answer, but stood up and approached the front door. She picked up a lone brick and tossed it at the window. The electric shield sent the brick flying back and Paige had to orb out to avoid getting hit. "Well, that helped…" She mumbled irritably.

Paige reappeared in a swirl of lights, her arms crossed and eyes throwing daggers at Piper. "Watch what you're doing, Piper!" Paige snapped.

"Sorry." Piper offered shortly.

"You know, Paige and I were shocked yesterday when we walked through the front door." Prue remarked thoughtfully. She apparently hadn't been paying attention to her younger sisters' scuffle.

Piper nodded in realization. "Me too. Do you think that is when all this started?"

"Define this…" Prue muttered.

"Well, we know the house has turned against us and Phoebe's gone crazy." Paige answered, lifting a finger as she said each.

"This is more than just Phoebe. She said that 'he' told her to do this. So, who is he and what does he want with Phoebe?" Piper continued the train of thought.

Prue passed Piper her jacket and started down the stairs, whatever answers could be found wouldn't be from the Manor. "Maybe that's the problem. We've been focusing on Phoebe. Maybe that's not the point." Prue suggested.

Piper raised her eyebrows and exchanged a confused glance with Paige. "Uh, care to explain?" Paige asked.

"Location." Prue realized, spinning around to face Piper and Paige. "Whatever has the house has her too. And it's not letting us in for a reason." Prue explained.

"And we can't get to the Book of Shadows to find out what it is, so we know nothing." Piper replied, shooting down Prue's thought.

Prue shook her head in disagreement. "Yes, we do. There's someone who knows the house better than we do." She argued. She smiled and turned to Paige. "Would you mind being our taxi?"

Paige rolled her eyes but a smile pulled at the edge of her lips. She joined hands with Prue and Piper and the three sisters orbed out.

~PO4~

Phoebe picked the phone up off the cradle and dialed a number as she walked through the hallways of the Manor. The lights flickered ominously where she passed, wall paper peeled away from the wall, and glass vases shattered. She leaned against the stair rail as someone on the other end picked up. "Yes, I would like a pizza delivered to my home… Well, whenever you do open then… I don't care what you put on the thing; just make sure someone delivers it… 1329 Prescott Street. I'll be waiting."


	30. Is There a Woogy in the House? (Part 2)

Outside a nearby University

Prue, Piper, and Paige appeared in a swirl of blue and white lights among the large college foliage that Professor Whittlesey was giving a speech at. The three sisters moved around to the main entrance in time to see Professor Whittlesey being taken by the police into custody.

"Whoa…" Paige mumbled as the police pushed a handcuffed Professor Whittlesey into the patrol car. "Do we have a plan B?" She wondered, turning back to face Prue.

Prue began to reply when Piper suddenly left the group and approached Josh, the infuriating wine-stealer. "Hey, what happened?" Piper asked, running up to him.

Josh's hand lingered around his throat as he slowly turned away from Professor Whittlesey to meet the sisters. "Uh, I don't know. Professor Whittlesey had just begun her seminar when she turned and suddenly started choking me…" He explained, casting several confused glances back at his friend. "…If one of her students hadn't pulled her off…" Josh trailed off with a shrug.

Piper's brown eyes had widened and she shared a look of concern with her sisters. "Oh my God, are you okay?" She demanded.

"Yeah, I just, uh…" Josh trailed off as he met her worried gaze. "… don't know why she snapped like that." Josh finished after a moment.

Prue rolled her eyes and took a step back so she was no longer in between the two and glanced at Paige, whose eyes were flickering knowingly between Piper and Josh. Piper inconspicuously stomped on Prue's foot as the eldest Halliwell made a silent comment that Piper didn't appreciate.

Paige snorted and Prue glared at both of them before she turned back to Josh and stepped pointedly back between him and Piper. "Okay, Josh, do you know anything about what she said to Claire? Something about a spiritual nexus…"

Josh appeared fairly surprised by the question and stopped to turn his full attention to them. "She brought that up?" He questioned. All three sisters nodded in response. "Wow, the professor doesn't usually go in for that sort of metaphysical mythology." He remarked.

"Yeah, well, you know Claire; once she gets her claws into something she can't seem to forget about it." Prue replied.

"You know, I've met people like that." Josh started, pointedly glancing in Piper's direction.

Paige nudged Piper in the side and raised her eyebrows suggestively. Piper decided to ignore both Paige and the comment.

"A spiritual nexus is a point of incredible energy." He continued.

"Equidistant from the five spiritual elements." Prue followed carefully.

Josh nodded quickly. "That's right. The place or thing that can be swayed either way."

"Like good or evil?" Paige guessed nervously.

"Yeah." Josh answered, turning to look back at Professor Whittlesey. "Look, ladies, I'm gonna follow her and make sure she's okay. Feel free to browse around our office if you think it'll help." He allowed, leaving the three sisters at the front of the University.

 

Professor Whittlesey and Josh's office

The Halliwell sisters took Josh up on his offer and took a look around their office. Piper pulled out a map while Paige gathered some pins and string and Prue read through a passage in one of the books that mentioned the five spiritual elements.

"Okay, to find a way back in, we have to know what we're up against. The professor said that a true spiritual nexus sits equidistant to the five spiritual elements. So, that's earth, fire, water, wood, and metal." Prue began.

Piper laid out the map and Paige passed her the string. "Okey dokey, equidistant…" Piper mumbled while Paige pointed to a place on the map.

"There's the Manor." She offered helpfully. Piper nodded and placed a red pin on the spot where the Manor was indeed located.

"Uh, the bay, water." Prue decided and Paige stuck another pin into the map before pulling out a sharpie and marking the string at the distance to the sea.

Piper moved the string in a circle, searching for other landmarks. "Natural hot springs?" She suggested.

"That could be fire." Paige shrugged. Prue gave the slightest of nods and Paige placed a pin in the spot.

Prue appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Wood… How about that park mom used to take us to? Kenwood?"

Piper swung the string around until she found the national park. "Named after the type of tree that grew there when it was still a forest." She agreed. Paige obediently placed another pin at that location.

"Okay, three out of five. Earth…" Prue continued.

Piper stopped the string on the twin peaks. "Twin peaks. Highest point in the city."

"That leaves metal." Paige pointed out as she placed yet another pin into the map.

"Tiffany's." Piper quipped immediately, earning a playful glare from Prue.

"Cute." Prue allowed. "Natural metal." She clarified, stepping back a moment to think. "Okay, fourth grade field trip, we panned for gold. Where was that?" Prue asked.

Piper stopped on the correct location and Paige placed the final pin in that spot. Piper and Paige backed up as Prue took up the sharpie and connected the dots along the map.

When she stepped back the three sisters could clearly see the outline of a pentagram with the Manor in the very center.

"Our house was built in the center of a pentagram…" Piper announced the obvious.

"Wiccan symbol." Paige remarked, tracing the lines with her finger.

Prue nodded and leaned against the table. "Looks like it's not just on a spiritual nexus, but a Wiccan one as well. Which means it's a battleground for good and evil."

Piper frowned and exchanged a look with Paige. "And what happens when evil gets the house?" She wondered.

"It spreads." Prue answered softly. "We'd have to check the Book of Shadows, but I'd bet there was a reason our family built the house there. To reclaim the spot for good." She explained.

"And now I'm thinkin' evil wants it back." Piper commented.

"Yeah, and it's taking Phoebe with it." Prue agreed.

"Peachy." Paige muttered, looking away from the map and out at the busy street.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Andy and Darryl pulled their patrol car up to the driveway of the Halliwell Manor where they turned the car off and got out. Darryl rolled his eyes at the house and turned to regard his partner.

"Why does it feel like we live here?" He asked sarcastically.

Andy returned the joke with a half-smile and started to reply, only to turn around at the loud crashing coming from across the street. One of the neighbors was kicking over trashcans while another was yelling, only to have the first neighbor throw one of the garbage cans at him. Andy chuckled in disbelief and looked over his shoulder at Darryl.

"Which one do you want?" Andy questioned.

Darryl appeared to think it over for a moment before pointing across the street. "I'll take that one. I could use a change in scenery."

"Meet back here." Andy suggested, heading for the threshold of the Manor while Darryl made his way across the street. Just as he reached the door and was about to knock, Phoebe opened it.

"Hello, Inspector." Phoebe greeted, leaning rather seductively against the door frame.

Andy narrowed his eyes curiously at her strange behavior. "Phoebe, hey. I stopped by here to…"

"Just in time." Phoebe interrupted. "I think there might be a gas leak and I'm home all alone." She continued, offering a pitiful smile to the long-time Halliwell sort of brother. "Do you think you could look it over?" She asked hopefully.

Andy watched her for another couple of moments before nodding slightly. "Sure." He agreed, stepping over the threshold as Phoebe moved back to allow him in. "It's down in the basement." Phoebe explained, smirking behind his back. She flicked her fingers behind her and the front door shut.

~PO4~

Paige orbed her, Piper, and Prue behind the cars that sat in the driveway. When all the lights disappeared, Paige led the way across the street to where Darryl was trying to stop the fight between the neighbors.

"So, he came out of his house, walked over here, and started throwing things?" Darryl repeated what the more level-headed neighbor had told him.

The neighbor shook his head and glared at the other. "No, not out of his house. Out of the Halliwell's." He clarified and pointed to Prue, Piper, and Paige, whom had just gotten within hearing range.

The sisters exchanged a nervous glance before Piper forced a cheerful smile to Darryl. "Hey, Morris. Neighborhood watch?" She quipped.

Darryl ignored the joke and turned to face the Halliwells. "Had a woman brought into the station house today. Wasn't feeling too well, spent last night at your house. Professor Beth Whittlesey."

"Is she okay?" Prue asked, feigning ignorance.

"Not at the moment, she's under observation." Darryl answered, only to trail off as the second neighbor irritably pushed the level-headed one.

"Paul, what the hell's the matter with you?" The level-headed neighbor demanded, his hands clenching at his sides.

Paul glared dangerously in response. "Nothin'" He snapped.

Darryl rolled his eyes and looked back at the sisters. "I'm a little occupied right now. Andy would like to ask you a few questions. He's inside." Darryl finished before turning back to the two bickering neighbors.

"Great, Andy's inside. He's probably gonna go insane like everyone else." Paige muttered with a loud sigh as soon as they were no longer in earshot of Darryl.

"Wait, if Andy is in the house and Paul was in the house then there must be a way for us to get in." Piper pointed out optimistically.

"Well, we better hope so, otherwise there's no way for us to get to the Book of Shadows." Prue remarked as they walked up the front steps. All three of them halted suddenly as

the front door opened, revealing Andy about to leave the house. Prue gasped and Piper jumped while Paige pushed them in the direction of the bushes next to the steps. "Freeze them." Prue hissed as soon as all three of them were crouched behind the bushes.

Piper slapped Prue's hands away from her. "No, wait." She waited until Andy was in the middle of the doorway before throwing her hands out and freezing him.

Paige tilted her head questioningly to the side. "Why'd we do that?" She asked curiously.

Piper rolled her eyes at her eldest and youngest sister. "The house is letting him out, right? This is the only second its guard is down." Piper explained as if she was speaking to five-year-olds.

"You're brilliant." Prue complimented while Paige nodded in agreement.

"Let's go." Paige decided, leading the way back up the steps. Each sister carefully squeezed between the open door and Andy until they were all inside.

Prue stopped just inside, staring at Phoebe in surprise. "Oh my, she's frozen." Prue observed softly.

"Well, good." Piper exclaimed.

"That means she's evil." Paige pointed out helpfully since Piper didn't seem to catch on.

Piper suddenly frowned in realization. "Oh, we lost her…"

"Let's go get her back." Prue suggested, grabbing Piper's hand and pulling her toward the steps with Paige hesitantly following behind.

"What about Andy? He looks angrier… What if Phoebe turned him insane?" Paige remarked.

Prue frowned and exchanged a look with Piper. "We can watch him from the attic window." Paige reluctantly agreed and followed them up the stairs, just as Phoebe and Andy unfroze.

~PO4~

Outside, Darryl was trying to hold the two neighbors apart as the fight continued to grow. He glanced back in relief as he heard Andy heading toward him. "Hey, you wanna give me a hand here, partner?" He called.

Andy didn't answer, but irritably kicked over a trashcan and reached for his gun on his belt. As his hand closed over the handle of the gun, it suddenly disappeared in a swirl of orbs so that instead his hand closed over air. Undeterred, Andy stepped forward and made to punch the level-headed neighbor.

"Whoa, whoa, Andy!" Darryl yelled, reaching out and grabbing Andy's arm and pushing him to the ground. "What the hell was that?" He demanded.

Andy blinked, appearing rather confused at what had happened the last few minutes. "What? Uh, I have no idea." Andy admitted.

~PO4~

Back in the attic, Prue was flipping quickly through the pages of the Book of Shadows, Piper was pacing in a circle, and Paige was lingering next to the window, nervously glancing down at Andy's gun in her hand.

"Faster would be good." Piper snapped, not slowing in her circular pacing.

Paige turned away from the window as Andy appeared to be himself again. "Uh, guys? What am I supposed to do with his gun now?" She asked uncertainly.

Piper rolled her eyes and glared at Paige. "We have bigger problems than what to do with his freakin' gun, Paige!" Piper exclaimed.

"Both of you, shut up." Prue hissed, now frantically flipping backwards in the book in the hopes that she would come across something that she missed the first time. After several more moments she slammed the book shut. "I can't believe it. There is nothing here! We don't even know what we're fighting."

"Our sister." Piper answered shortly.

It was Paige's turn to roll her eyes. "I thought we'd come to the conclusion that it was more than that." She reminded them.

Prue sighed and grabbed Piper's hands, forcing the middle sister to stop pacing in circles. "Okay, when in doubt, start at the beginning. What happened first?" Prue demanded.

"Gas man attacked me." Piper replied immediately.

"Before that." Prue countered.

"Uh, the earthquake which effectively brought the gas man to the house to check the leak in the basement." Paige offered.

Prue gave the slightest of nods and stepped away from the pedestal that held the Book of Shadows. "And before Professor Whittlesey freaked out, she took a tour, including the basement." Prue continued thoughtfully.

"Ooh!" Piper realized, her eyes widening as pieces of the puzzle seemed to click.

Prue cast her a frustrated glare. "Noises don't help!" She snapped.

Piper's eyes flickered from Prue to Paige and then back again. "The, um, gas man said that's where Phoebe was and we know she's been down there." Piper explained slowly.

"So?" Paige prompted.

Prue shook her head enthusiastically at Piper's proposal. "No, no, Piper, it was just a story." She insisted.

"Are you so sure? We've seen monsters and demons from the past and the future. How can you be so sure that Phoebe's childhood monster isn't real?" Piper retorted.

Prue still didn't appear convinced. "The Woogyman in the basement?" Prue repeated with a roll of her eyes.

Paige tilted her head to the side and studied Piper with a look of concern. "You're serious?"

"Phoebe swore she saw something down there and that's when Grams started telling us the story…" Piper started but trailed off as Prue finished her thought.

"… Of how to destroy it." Prue mumbled.

"And there was an earthquake that night too, remember? Maybe that's how it gets out." Piper continued.

"We've been looking in the wrong place. How to vanquish the demon isn't in the Book of Shadows, it's in Grams' story." Prue realized, running a hand through her dark hair.

Paige suddenly stepped forward, interrupting the conversation. "Wait, wait, wait! You're saying that the story was like some kind of spell or something?" Paige followed, completely confused.

"Sounds like something Grams would do." Piper offered with a slight shrug.

"Alright, the Woogyman is a real demon, so Phoebe was right." Prue admitted.

Paige couldn't help but laugh softly at the confession. "She's never gonna let you guys live that down." She pointed out, earning two narrow-eyed glares from Prue and Piper.

"… Anyways, how did it go again?" Prue asked, getting back to the important topic.

Piper bit her lip and glanced away. "Uh, something about a Woogyman and Grams fought it…" She mumbled.

"That's it? That's all that you remember?" Prue questioned in disbelief.

"Well, don't you remember anything?" Piper snapped, spinning on her older sister with flashing eyes.

Prue shook her head slowly. "I-I-I remember that it was sort of like a rhyme. It sounded like a children's song." Prue and Piper turned their gaze to Paige.

Paige raised her hands in a sign of surrender. "Hey, I wasn't here for another six or seven years." She replied defensively.

Prue averted her gaze in defeat while Piper began her pacing once again. "Well, we better figure something out fast or we're gonna have a whole lot of…" Piper trailed off as she opened the attic door. She screamed at the sight of Phoebe, who grabbed her and tossed her out of the attic room. Phoebe walked in and shut and locked the attic door so Piper couldn't get it in. "Prue, Paige!" Piper's voice carried through the door.

Paige ran across the attic to stand behind Prue, while the eldest Halliwell backed up away from Phoebe as a sword was conjured into her hand. "Any fantasies about how you want to die?" Phoebe asked sarcastically.

"I take the sword, you take Phoebe?" Paige suggested under her breath.

"Wait…" Prue whispered in reply before turning her full attention on Phoebe. "Phoebe, listen to me, this isn't you." She began.

Phoebe laughed and advanced several steps. "Give the girl a prize!"

Piper beat heavily on the attic door, trying to get in. "Prue!" She yelled.

Prue ignored Piper and pushed Paige back another step though her eyes never left Phoebe. "Look, whoever is doing this hasn't completely beaten you; otherwise we would be dead by now." Prue continued.

"Really?" Phoebe replied with a look of false interest and thought.

"Not really helping, Prue." Paige mumbled, her hand tightening around Prue's arm.

"Phoebe, you're stronger than him." Prue stated.

Phoebe shook her head slowly. "No, I wasn't. That's why he chose me." Her voice shifted, deeper and darker. "And now I'm stronger than you." She pulled the sword back, ready to swing.

"Now." Prue ordered.

Paige didn't need telling twice. "Sword." She called and the sword disappeared from Phoebe's grip and reappeared in Paige's hand. (The one that wasn't holding the gun) At the same time, Prue narrowed her eyes and sent Phoebe flying across the room. Another squint of her eyes and the attic door swung open, revealing Piper on the other side. Prue led the way out with Paige on her heels, practically pushing Piper down the stairs in their haste to get away from Phoebe. 

"Sorry, Pheebs." Paige threw the apology over her shoulder.

Piper was the first down the stairs and immediately ran and pulled the front door open.

"Piper, where are you going?" Prue demanded, pulling quickly to a halt in the foyer.

Piper spun back to face Prue and Paige. "It's not just Phoebe we're fighting. It's the house, it's everything." Piper answered, turning back to step across the threshold.

"Piper, wait!" Paige called, reaching forward to grab Piper by the arm. She was too late as Piper tried to exit the house, the shield over the door threw her back into the foyer.

"Oh, Piper." Prue exclaimed, running forward to help her younger sister up. "Are you okay?"

Piper irritably pulled her arm out of Prue's grip. "No, I'm not, and neither are you two. We're trapped in this house and our sister's trying to kill us!" Before anyone could begin to respond, the front door closed of its own accord.

 

Prue, Piper, and Paige had moved into the Solarium; Prue and Piper were standing while Paige was sitting on top of one of the tables.

"Alright, the answer must be in Grams' Woogyman story." Prue decided, repeating the same thing she had been saying for at least ten minutes in the hope that she would remember something.

Piper rolled her eyes at the now familiar line. "Which neither of us remembers." She muttered, crossing her arms irritably.

"There has to be a way to spark a memory…" Paige offered.

"Paige is right. We have to keep trying." Prue insisted.

~PO4~

Phoebe slowly regained consciousness from being thrown across the room by Prue. She glared dangerously at the pedestal that she had knocked over and at the sword that Paige had orbed from her and apparently left in the attic. Without a second glance, Phoebe left down the stairs in time to catch some of her sisters' conversation.

"There has to be a way out of here." Piper's voice carried from the Solarium.

"We have tried everything, Piper. Besides, the only way we can help Phoebe is from inside." Prue's answering voice countered.

Phoebe smirked, her sisters made it so easy sometimes. Careful not to be seen, Phoebe turned around to head for the basement.

~PO4~

"Help her kill us maybe." Piper snapped.

"Yeah, well, we have to keep trying." Prue retorted, running a hand through her hair in frustration.

Paige smiled faintly at the conversation. "Do you know how many times you have said the same thing today?" She wondered curiously.

Prue glared but was stopped from arguing by Phoebe's voice carrying from the direction of the basement. "Prue, Piper, Paige! Help me!"

Prue bit her lip slightly and her eyes flickered toward Piper and then Paige. "Do you think…" She began, hesitantly stepping in the general direction of Phoebe's plea.

"Trap." Piper decided and shook her head slightly at Prue's current decision.

"Does she really think we're that stupid?" Paige asked rhetorically, sounding rather irritated at the thought.

"Well, what else can we do?" Prue argued, still taking small steps toward the hallway.

Piper was staring at Prue in disbelief. "We could not go into the basement. I'd vote for that." Piper offered.

"Ditto." Paige added.

Prue continued to appear convinced that going to the basement was the only way to fix the situation. "Grams must have thought that this evil might come back so that's why she told us the story." Prue pointed out.

"Well, how do we remember the words? I never even believed in the Woogyman." Piper reminded them again.

"No, but Phoebe did. She knows the story by heart." Prue explained.

"Something tells me she's not in the mood to share." Piper countered.

Prue turned her attention away from Piper and focused on Paige. "We know that the source of his power is in the basement. So, if we can weaken him, maybe we can weaken his hold on Phoebe. At least long enough for her to tell us the spell." She suggested.

Paige appeared thoughtful for a moment. "That might actually work." She conceded with a shrug.

"What?" Piper exclaimed. "We can't… We don't know what it is or how to fight it." Piper argued.

"Help, Please, I need you!" Phoebe's voice once again broke through the sisters' conversation.

With Prue leading, the three sisters carefully entered the kitchen, looking for any sign of Phoebe or any clues as to what they were up against. "It doesn't really look like we have a choice." Paige commented.

Prue nodded in agreement. "Okay, so we're gonna need a…"

"Light." Piper interrupted, a little distantly. Paige reached over them to the drawer where the flashlights were kept. "No… the light. Grams' story, remember? She said something about using it to guide you through the shadows… or was it to the shadows?" Piper elaborated

"That doesn't make sense. Using a light to find a shadow? Shadows retreat from the light." Prue returned only to trail off in thought. "And they thrive in the darkness. Kind of like this…" She realized, her gaze flickering around the dark house.

"Or the basement." Paige added, pointing to the pitch dark through the door.

Piper nodded slightly. "Maybe that's what we're fighting. A shadow." She suggested.

Prue took the flashlight from Paige and turned it on. "Okay, let's fight it." Prue decided, once again leading the way down the stairs. Piper and Paige just behind.

"Phoebe?" Piper called nervously as they descended the stairs.

There was no response and none of the sisters could see through the dark for anything or anyone. "Oh, wait! I see something!" Paige hissed, taking Prue's hand and pointing the flashlight in the general direction of the moving shadow.

"What took you so long?" Phoebe's voice, coming from behind them, interrupted their thoughts. They spun around to find Phoebe at the top of the stairs.

Prue narrowed her eyes and used her telekinesis to shut the door so Phoebe couldn't come down the stairs behind them. "One evil at a time." She explained, turning her attention on the Woogyman. "Okay, Piper, freeze it." Prue ordered.

Piper obediently threw her hands out only to have nothing happen. "It's not working, uh, can't you…"

Prue followed her thought and squinted at the shadow. Again nothing happened. "No, my powers aren't working either. Paigey, be ready to orb us into another room." Prue decided, grabbing Piper's hand, who in turn grabbed Paige's. Prue turned back just in time for Phoebe to finally reopen the basement door. "Phoebe, you've got to listen to us."

Phoebe conjured a large knife in her hand. "You're in no position to tell me what to do." She snapped, preparing to step down.

"Remember Grams' story? The one about the Woogyman? About the light?" Prue continued undeterred.

"Phoebe…" Paige pleaded as she saw Phoebe hesitate at Prue's words.

Phoebe backed away from the steps. "I can't. Don't make me. Don't like the basement." Phoebe rambled.

The Woogyman began to swirl around Prue, Piper, and Paige. "It's no use. Your sister's evil now."

"Come on, Phoebe. You've got to fight it. You're good." Prue insisted pleadingly. They watched as Phoebe seemed to regain her composure and once again move to step down.

Phoebe's hand brushed the family picture and she was once again pulled into the premonition of Grams battling the Woogyman. "Phoebe, please remember the story. What did Grams say?" Prue pressed once Phoebe had hesitated again.

"Hurry, Phoebe, please!" Piper called, acutely aware of the gathering shadow.

Paige tightened her hand on Piper's. "Should I orb yet?" She asked. They would be consumed if they waited much longer.

Prue shook her head as Phoebe stepped back forward.

"I am light…  
I am one too strong to fight.  
Return to dark where shadows dwell.  
You cannot have this Halliwell…"

"Keep it going, Pheebs." Prue encouraged as bright white lights began to swirl around them and forced the Woogyman back.

"…Go away and Leave my sight  
And take with you this endless night"

The Woogyman yelled defiantly as he was forced back into the crack on the basement floor. The crack sealed shut, the lights flickered on, windows and wallpaper were repaired, returning the house to its original state. Phoebe sank down on the steps and her sisters quickly gathered around her in silent support.

 

Professor Whittlesey and Josh's Office

Piper stopped just inside the door frame of the office and softly knocked on the open door to grab Josh's attention. "Anybody home?" She asked politely.

"Office hours aren't until five." Josh answered, not looking up to see Piper for several moments. He finally looked up to find Piper still standing at the door. She waved in greeting and Josh immediately got up from his seat. "Piper, what are you doing here?" He wondered curiously.

"Oh, I just came by to see how you… err, Professor Whittlesey was doing." Piper explained, taking a step through the door so that she was inside the office.

Josh nodded slightly after a moment of thoughtfulness. "She seems better. She hasn't choked anybody lately." Josh joked.

"Good, so you'd say she's back to normal?" Piper prompted.

"Yeah, although she's been censured for her behavior. Has to sit before the university board, and for now, it appears I'll be covering her classes." Josh replied.

"Oh that's too bad." Piper spoke up and then realized how it sounded. "Uh, I don't mean you… I mean…"

Josh chuckled and raised his hand in a gesture of understanding. "I know what you mean." He assured her and Piper sighed in relief. "Oh, by the way, I have something for you." He added, turning around and walking back behind his desk.

Piper followed more slowly after him and stopped when he spun back around and passed her a bottle of wine. She couldn't restrain the resulting smile as she read the label.

"Calera Jensen, '93." Piper read aloud before allowing her eyes to flicker back to him curiously.

"A battle's been waged over this wine." He laughed.

"Not today, I'm too tired." Piper quipped in return. She smiled back down at the wine. "It's actually very nice." She allowed.

"Don't sound so surprised. You know, I am capable of a kind act or two." Josh pointed out jokingly.

Piper rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "That's good to know." Piper answered, slowly turning away and leaving with a final wave of her hand.

 

The Halliwell Manor

"So Morris said it was only a two week suspension." Prue announced as she leaned down to pick the Book of Shadows up off the floor. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were also picking up objects scattered around the attic from Phoebe, Prue, and Paige's scuffle.

"It doesn't seem fair. It wasn't even Andy's fault." Piper sighed loudly.

"Well, what was he gonna do? Plead shadowed?" Prue quipped. She suddenly stopped cleaning and glanced over at Paige. "What did you do with his gun?" She wondered curiously.

Paige's smile grew at the question. "I orbed it into his desk. I guess he'll find it when he gets off suspension." She explained with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Hmmm… good job." Piper complimented thoughtfully. "At least everyone's back to normal… even if it doesn't erase their actions."

"Yeah, well, I wish it did, it could get me off Claire's bad side… as if she had a good one." Prue mumbled, her eyes narrowed slightly at the thought of her boss. She was definitely dreading her next day at work.

Phoebe hesitated cleaning for a moment and joined the conversation for the first time. "I'm beginning to wonder if I have a good one." Phoebe admitted. Prue, Piper, and Paige stopped mid-cleaning and stared at Phoebe uncertainly. Phoebe seemed to notice as she turned to face them. "Well, I am. I mean, up until now I didn't even think I had a dark side. I mean, not any more so than anyone else." She elaborated.

Paige was the first to recover enough to reassure her. "But the good beat the evil. That's what matters."

"Yeah, but I must have been more susceptible than any of you, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen me, right?" Phoebe continued, looking at her sisters expectantly for an answer. When no one replied, she had enough of an answer. "Right." She answered herself.

"You were the only one that was born in the house. That makes you more connected to it. That whole spiritual nexus thing." Piper pointed out casually.

"That's exactly my point. I could go either way. Good or evil. It's kind of freaky." Phoebe admitted softly. She suddenly smiled and looked a bit wistful. "I do have to tell you that I am going to miss that new power though. It was so fun." Phoebe laughed.

Piper's eyes flickered to land on the Book of Shadows that now was in its rightful place on the pedestal. "Um, if Grams put away the shadow and it came back…"

"… Means it can come back again." Prue finished her train of thought. There was a pause where she and Piper exchanged a glance, silently coming to some kind of agreement.

"Okay, it's time. Every witch before us has added to the Book of Shadows. We need to warn who comes next. It's our turn." Prue decided.

"Who should do it?" Phoebe asked curiously.

Paige stepped eagerly forward to grab the pen that was beside the book, but instead of writing in it herself, she tossed it to Phoebe. Phoebe deftly caught it and grinned at her sisters before joining them all around the book. Prue flipped to a blank page and Piper helped decide how to word everything as Phoebe wrote it in.

 

The Underworld

A group of warlocks were clustered in a dark cavern, whispering of their latest kills and of the most recent plan to take out the Charmed Ones. Demonic gossip that stopped almost immediately when another warlock faded into the circle. He stepped out of the shadows and confidently sauntered through the group, his bright green eyes focusing only on one. Every eye followed his progress, almost hungry for whatever news he would bring. One warlock met him halfway and from all the respectful looks, appeared to be the leader. "Leave us." He ordered, his voice soft and whispery, but it was clearly heard in the silent cavern.

There was some muttering but no one dared disobey and each disappeared in their own way until the green-eyed newest arrival and the leader were the only two left.

"What name have you taken to up there?" The leader asked, almost irritably, as if he thought taking a human name was degrading or pathetic.

"Alex." The warlock answered, kneeling into a deep bow.

"Alex…" The leader repeated in disgust. He was silent a moment before he continued. "How did the plan go?" He demanded.

Alex frowned but confidently held the leader's gaze. "Foiled." He replied shortly.

"You failed?" The leader questioned, his voice rising dangerously.

"They still trust me. They are not even suspicious. I have not failed. A minor inconvenience, a setback, not a failure." Alex argued carefully, though his tone was cold and defiant.

The leader did not appear convinced. "We do not have forever, Alex. The longer they are alive the stronger they become." He warned.

"They will not live much longer." Alex promised. "I just need more time."

"We do not have time! I have to report our progress and he will be none too pleased." The leader shot back.

Alex glared at his leader's underlined threat. "I will succeed. Hold off on reporting." He suggested.

"Why would I risk my life for your glory?"

"You wait and I will give you the eldest Charmed One. You can have her power and give the other three to him…" Alex answered, certain such a gift would give him the time he needed to bring down the Charmed Ones. The leader appeared to consider the offer. "Think of it as… compensation for the setback."

"Compensation." The leader agreed, giving Alex a slight nod as a go ahead. "Now leave me." He ordered.

Alex bowed low one last time before fading out.


	31. Which Prue Is It Anyway? (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read and Please Review afterwards and I promise I'll try and get the next episode up soon.

Which Prue Is It Anyway?

Pop's Gym

Two men were boxing in a ring when one of them brutally punched the other to the ground. Instead of letting up, the winning man continued to punch the wounded man until the referee ran up and forced him back. "Hold up, man, you're gonna kill him!" The referee yelled. From the far end of the gym, another man watched the exchange with cool interest.

~PO4~

The harsh boxer, Luther Stubbs, threw his equipment into his duffle bag after the practice. He only looked up when the man that had watched the fight from afar, Gabriel, stopped in the doorway.

"Luther Stubbs?" He asked.

Luther narrowed his eyes before continuing to pack his things. "Yeah, who wants to know?" Luther demanded, showing little interest in the man.

Gabriel smiled and advanced several steps. "I'm a fan. I saw your bout in St. Louis three years ago. Bloodiest fight I've ever seen. The other boxer didn't even make it to the hospital. Died in the ring." He recalled, appearing impressed.

"Yeah, well, you know. Everybody gotta go sometime." Luther replied without a hint of remorse. He grabbed his bag and stepped up to the other man that was blocking the door.

"I wanna know what it felt like to take another life with your own hands." He continued, stepping in Luther's way as the boxer tried to step around him.

Luther laughed mirthlessly. "The guy didn't even cut me, man, now move."

Gabriel pushed Luther back as the boxer again tried to leave. "Not until I get what I came for." Gabriel returned coolly.

"And what might that be?" Luther snapped, narrowing his eyes dangerously at Gabriel.

"Your killer instinct." Gabriel answered throwing his jacket open and grabbing the crystal sword that was fastened around his waist. Before Luther even had time to react, Gabriel thrust his sword into Luther and watched as the light faded from the boxer's eyes. Gabriel let Luther fall to the ground and placed the tip of his sword against the dead man's chest. His sword glowed for several moments before it stopped and Gabriel walked away from the scene.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"… And since it's time for Quake's yearly inventory, I have to count everything in the restaurant down to the last swizzle stick. It's going to take days." Piper ranted as she threw the front door open and she and Prue stepped into the house.

"I guess that's why you get paid the medium-sized bucks." Prue quipped, flashing Piper a cheerful smile.

Piper rolled her eyes and stopped next to Prue as she suddenly halted. "And which bucks would those be exactly?" She returned without a thought to Prue's stop.

"Okay, okay, what is wrong with this picture?" Prue asked, throwing her hand out dramatically at a statue of a woman that was sitting in the middle of the room.

"Aside from me not getting paid enough?" Piper joked.

Prue cast Piper a quick glare before transferring it back to the statue. "No. What is Grams' statue still doing in the living room?" Prue clarified.

Piper blinked and shrugged. "We talked about it last night, remember?"

"Yes, I do remember and I thought that we agreed she was an eyesore and she was going back to storage." Prue replied matter-of-factly.

"That is before I learned that storage downtown is now ninety bucks a month and storage here is… free." Piper answered with another shrug. "So, I called Phoebe and Paige and we decided that she could stay here and last I checked we were still living in a democracy." She went on with teasing look at her older sister.

Prue nodded in silent agreement, but still looked at the statue in disgust. "Okay, but Piper, she's ugly." Prue pleaded.

"Majority rules, Sis, unless you can move her." Piper challenged.

Prue's eyes lit with realization and she turned eagerly back to the statue. She squinted and the statue rocked but otherwise didn't move. Her face fell slightly and she crossed her arms before staring at it and blinking once. The statue disappeared but reappeared in almost the same spot it had been before. "Ooh!" Prue exclaimed, her eyes still narrowed in irritation. "That didn't work." She stated the obvious.

Piper laughed softly, ignoring the glare Prue sent back in response. "It's solid marble. It took eight of Phoebe's bouncer friends to move it. It's too heavy for you."

"You know, my powers are still growing and one day…" Prue started in response to the continuing tease.

"… You can move it into the basement, but until then… suffer." Piper returned.

Prue shrugged and smiled triumphantly. "I have a better idea… Paige!" She called.

The familiar swirl of orbs announced the presence of the youngest Halliwell sister as she materialized in front of Prue. "Yep?" Paige asked excitedly. Piper rolled her eyes and headed for the kitchen, leaving the two tele-sisters to deal with the statue in whatever way they saw fit.

"We're gonna move the statue to the basement." Prue explained, eagerly taking Paige's hand.

Paige's eyes flickered to the statue and back to Prue in a calculating manner. "Alright… Are you doing it?"

Prue nodded and after a moment of focusing, blinked once and the statue disappeared again. There was a loud crash from the far end of the living room as the statue reappeared and slammed into a table. On one hand the statue had moved quite a distance, on the other… the table was now demolished. Prue and Paige's eyes widened and they exchanged a nervous glance as Piper stormed back in.

"What did you two do?" Piper demanded, hands on hips for emphasis.

Paige immediately let go of Prue's hand and pointed accusingly at the eldest Halliwell. "Prue did it." She accused, putting on her famous wide-eyed innocent look.

"Thanks a lot, Paige." Prue mumbled, conveniently avoiding Piper's eyes.

Piper started to scold when she was interrupted by a loud "Eeyah!" from the Solarium.

"Phoebe." Prue decided, welcoming the distraction and heading in the corresponding direction. Paige readily followed while Piper was a bit more reluctant to let the previous subject drop but finally followed. "Phoebe?" Prue called. The three sisters stepped into the Solarium to find Phoebe punching and kicking an electronic dummy.

Phoebe spun around with wide eyes and stared at her sisters a little guiltily. "Oh, hi, I, um… I was just, uh…" She stammered, hastily pulling off the boxing gloves.

"Opening up a can of whoop-ass." Piper finished with a laugh.

"Yeah, those are some serious moves. Where did you learn that?" Prue wondered curiously.

Paige grinned and laid her arm across Phoebe's shoulder. "Miss Phoebe got tired of being passive." She answered.

Phoebe rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Okay, I'm busted, I confess. I started taking self defense classes which I've been putting on my new credit card." Phoebe explained quickly.

"And, uh, this thing?" Piper asked, pointing at the dummy.

Phoebe pulled away from Paige and affectionately tapped the dummy with her hand. "Oh, that's Slam-man. I got him off an infomercial."

"Great, another eyesore." Prue quipped.

"It's a total and complete martial arts training system, and with their easy installment payment plan…" Phoebe started.

"Which you, also, put on your new credit card." Piper guessed.

"Actually I helped." Paige announced and Phoebe nodded enthusiastically before finishing.

"He's gonna pay for himself the first time I kick ass on some unsuspected gnarly beast." Phoebe countered and then put her hands up defensively. "Come on, wanna see some moves?"

Piper slipped the boxing gloves on her hands but shook her head. "No."

Phoebe shrugged and turned to Prue, undeterred. "Come on. Come on." She challenged hopefully. Prue laughed and squinted at Slam-man, moving him into Phoebe and knocking her off-balance. "You know that is so unfair!" She accused.

"Hey, demons do not play fair." Prue pointed out, trying to pull away as Phoebe put her in an arm lock and pulled her down.

"Gotcha!" Phoebe announced triumphantly.

"I'll save you, Prue." Paige yelled, running and jumping on Phoebe's back, which caused both her and Prue to stumble and laugh uncontrollably.

Prue attempted to pull her arm free again. "Okay, okay, okay, okay…"

"I didn't hear you say it." Phoebe laughed, attempting to hold both Prue and herself up which Paige made increasingly difficult.

"Pheebs, let go." Prue ordered lightly, swiping at Piper as she tapped Prue on the head with the boxing glove.

Phoebe jerked as she was pulled into a premonition.

Gabriel pulled out his sword and plunged it into Prue's stomach.

Prue froze, immediately realizing what had happened and reached out to steady Phoebe while Paige orbed out so she wouldn't drop to the floor as Phoebe was no longer supporting her. Paige reappeared next to Piper with worried eyes.

"Phoebe, what is it?" Piper asked gently.

"What did you see?" Prue demanded.

Phoebe slowly turned her gaze on Prue. "I saw you die." She whispered.

~PO4~

Phoebe yawned loudly as she described the features of the sword that Paige obediently drew out on the paper in front of her. At the same time, Phoebe was flipping through the Book of Shadows trying to locate it. It was silent in the kitchen other than the turn of the pages and the occasional short description.

It was only broken when Piper came into the kitchen and began pouring four cups of coffee. "We're gonna need a lot more of this." She mumbled, rubbing her hand against her eyes in an attempt to straighten her vision.

"You couldn't sleep either, huh?" Phoebe guessed without looking away from the book.

"No, I was up all night trying to talk some sense into Prue." Piper replied with a roll of her eyes at the thought of the night's conversation.

Paige tilted her head to the side so she could better view Piper. "What were you trying to talk into her?" She wondered curiously.

Piper ignored the question and conveniently noticed the drawing of the sword on Paige's notebook. "Is that the sword?"

"Yeah, I've been describing it and Paigey's drawn it perfectly. Unfortunately, I can't find it in the Book of Shadows yet." Phoebe answered, yawning again. "I wish that thing had an index." She threw in with a sigh.

Paige leaned back into her chair. "Too bad you didn't see the killer's face." Paige lamented.

"Well, if someone tries to impale my sister, they're gonna have to get through me." Phoebe returned determinedly.

"Ditto." Paige agreed.

"Oh, good. Coffee!" Prue observed, heading straight for the coffee pot.

Phoebe's eyes widened as she took in Prue's outfit. "Uh, why are you dressed up?" She demanded, jumping off her stool.

"Because they don't have casual day at Bucklands." Prue replied as if it was obvious.

"You're supposed to stay home today." Paige reminded her with narrowed eyes. She then turned her gaze on Piper. "You knew didn't you?" Paige accused.

Piper shrugged and smiled faintly. "I told you I was trying to talk some sense into her."

Paige rolled her eyes and returned to glaring at Prue. "Why would you go into work? You said you would stay." She pointed out, crossing her arms for emphasis.

"That was before Claire called saying she has a client that wants to put a major collection on the block and if we get this account it would be a serious coup for Bucklands." Prue explained.

"I'm sure Claire could find somebody else." Piper offered casually for at least the fourth time.

"Piper, I told you, I have worked so hard for Claire to trust me with something like this, why should someone else get all the glory?" Prue argued.

"I'll take the nasty demon that wants you dead for a hundred, Bob." Phoebe joked though her eyes were serious.

Piper threw her hands in the air dramatically. "I still can't believe you would risk your life to impress your boss. You cannot leave the house…" Piper insisted in disbelief.

Prue smiled, appearing amused by the debate. "Okay, look, relax. Phoebe's had premonitions before and we've affected the outcome, right?" Prue prompted, glancing over her shoulder at Phoebe for confirmation.

Phoebe reluctantly nodded. "That's true, but…"

"And in your premonition, it was man who killed me, well, I'm going to Bucklands to meet a female client and Claire will be with me every step of the way, besides, now that you've warned me, I'll watch my back." Prue interrupted. "I can handle this, I promise." She insisted confidently.

"Only if you come straight home after work." Paige bargained stubbornly.

Prue's smile widened as she observed each of her sisters. "Will it stop you from worrying?" She asked. Each of her sisters gave her an a-little-bit gesture. She nodded, silently agreeing before taking her coffee and heading for work.

Paige watched her leave before slamming her pencil down on the table. "I can't believe her."

Phoebe looked as if she was going to comment but appeared to think better of it and returned her attention to the book.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Claire led the way down the hallway toward her office. "The client's in my office. Now remember what I told you on the phone?"

"This woman's family has more money than God and if we land this account, it could put Bucklands in the black for years." Prue quoted, stopping just outside the door of Claire's office and smiling expectantly.

Claire nodded. "Exactly. You ready?" She asked.

Prue grinned and reached for the door knob. "Of course I am." Prue replied cheerfully before pushing the door open and preceding Claire into the room.

"Helena Statler. I would like you to meet Prue Halliwell. One of our best and brightest young specialists." Claire announced while Prue stepped forward and politely shook hands with Helena.

Helena turned her gaze from Claire and regarded Prue curiously. "Best and brightest? That's quite an introduction." She commented.

"Yes, it is. Maybe I should get a raise." Prue joked, glancing pointedly in Claire's direction.

Claire narrowed her eyes slightly but smiled nonetheless. "Let's have a seat, shall we?" Claire suggested, slipping into a seat next Helena while Prue took the one on the other side of the client.

Helena wasted no time getting to the point. "Ms. Halliwell, my brother and I hold an extensive collection of antiquities. If we were to retain your firm, you'd be cataloguing and praising and selling the finest pieces you'd seen in your career. Maybe your life." She began.

"Just what kind of collection are we talking about exactly?" Prue asked curiously.

"The kind that occupies three buildings at Warehouse Flats. We have art and artifacts from every period and movement in history. From Egyptian mummies to Jasper Johns."

Helena elaborated before turning to Claire behind her. "We would want a sample appraisal of course." Helena added.

"Oh, Prue will be there today if you like." Claire replied immediately.

Prue's smile faded. "At the Warehouse Flats?" She repeated nervously.

"Is that a problem?" Helena questioned, noting her change in expression.

Prue met Claire's gaze and she quickly forced her smile back. "No. No, I'm sure that I can handle it." Prue answered.

~PO4~

South Bay Social Services

Phoebe ran through the crowded hallways of South Bay Social Services heading for Paige's cubicle. Her sister's desk was empty for the moment so Phoebe took the liberty of checking the nearest copy room. "Paige!" She called when she spotted the youngest sister.

Paige picked up the papers that the copy machine shot out before turning to Phoebe curiously. "Yeah? Did you find it?" Paige asked curiously.

"Yes, but I just called Bucklands and they said that Prue left the office for a meeting." Phoebe explained quickly.

Paige rolled her eyes and figured she shouldn't be surprised. "Of course she did. What'd you find about the sword?" She questioned instead after glancing around and making sure no one was paying any attention to their conversation.

"It's the symbol of the Lords of War. They're a clan of supernatural warriors. They've been around since time began." Phoebe answered.

"Okay…" Paige prompted, not seeing the significance.

Phoebe caught on quickly and jumped to elaborate. "They want to start war. They've started most of the major wars in history and once they're done in one place they get reincarnated in some other part of the world and they start all over again."

"So is he mortal? Can he be stopped?" Paige wondered.

"Yes, but the book says as long as they have their sword they're not only protected, their immune to the weapons of man." Phoebe explained.

"So, he's invulnerable and running around with a sword so he can start a war." Paige repeated in disbelief.

Phoebe smirked slightly. "Well, the Lords of War may be invulnerable but they do have a code of honor and when one of them is disgraced, he has to steal his abilities back."

"That still doesn't explain what Prue has to do with anything." Paige pointed out.

"One of the things he has to steal back is the magic of a first born witch. They're supposed to be the strongest." Phoebe continued.

Paige looked out the slightly open door to see a group of people coming to use the copy machine. She quickly moved around Phoebe and shut the door. "Okay, I'm gonna tell Mr. Cowan I'm sick and have a doctor's appointment so I can leave. You go talk to Piper and see where Prue is. I'll try and call her. We can meet at the house." Paige decided. Phoebe nodded in agreement and obediently headed back to the parking lot, leaving Paige alone in the copy room. Paige started to leave and allow the other people to use the copy room when she was grabbed from behind and pushed heavily against the wall. She couldn't see anything but there was no mistaking the pressure on her throat nor the blinds suddenly closing, obscuring Paige from any curious eyes outside the room. Paige tried to focus enough to orb out, but nothing happened other than the increased pressure. There was a loud crash as the door to the copy room flew open and Mr. Cowan stomped in, appearing none-too-happy. She was immediately released and her hand flew to her throat as she took deep, calming breaths, trying to ignore the look Mr. Cowan was sending her.

"What the hell are you doing, Ms. Matthews?" Mr. Cowan demanded, his eyes narrowed at the young employee.

Paige racked her brain for any excuse. "Uh, just finished the Johnson case… lot of papers to copy." She mumbled handing the stack to Mr. Cowan and trying to force a smile.

Mr. Cowan took the papers and stared at Paige unbelieving. He grudgingly nodded as he skimmed through all the papers. "Fine, but other people need the copy machine also. We have limited funds…"

Paige tuned him out as he went through the very common lecture and just nodded at all the right places. "I don't really feel well. I'm going to the doctor…" Paige mumbled when he was done and figured the best part about being attacked was that she probably looked sick. Without waiting for a response she left the copy room at a run and hurriedly threw her stuff together. She was going to get away from here before she called Prue. "Demon boyfriends…" Paige hissed as she closed herself in a closet and orbed out.

~PO4~

The Warehouse Flats

Prue parked her car next to Ms. Statler's car and walked through the entrance into the dark building. Leaving the door open behind her to let some light flood in, she hesitantly went down one of the aisles of artifacts. "Ms. Statler?" She called a little nervously. The door was blown closed behind her, causing her to jump and descending Prue into further darkness. Its emptiness was eerie at best. "Ms. Statler?" Prue tried again, her eyes scouring the area for any movement. The lights suddenly flickered on and Prue spun around to see Ms. Helena Statler step from a particularly dark corner.

"Hello, Ms. Halliwell." Helena greeted politely, taking a few steps toward Prue. Prue sighed in relief just as her phone jingle went off. She hastily pulled the cell out and rejected the call before slipping it back into her bag. "I hope I didn't scare you." Helena continued apologetically.

Prue smiled at the apology. "No, I don't really scare easily." She assured Helena.

Helena didn't respond but instead turned her attention to the artifacts settled throughout the building. "So what do you think of our collection?" She asked, glancing over her shoulder at Prue.

"I think that you have exquisite taste." Prue remarked, her eyes widening over the many antiques. She caught sight of a Roman Vessel on one of the tables and couldn't resist a better look.

"My brother and I have been collecting our entire lives. It's our binding passion." Ms. Statler went on as she knowingly followed Prue's gaze to the Roman Vessel. She led Prue toward it, a silent go-ahead for Prue to have a closer look.  
Prue didn't appear to have heard Helena's last explanation as she inspected the artifact in front of her. "Is this a Roman Vessel?" She asked in surprise.

"Why don't you tell me?" Helena countered.

"I've never seen one in such good condition." Prue explained. "The handles represent Venus and the relief details scenes of Roman baths in Caracalla. It probably dates back to 210 BC. It's very rare and priceless." She continued.

"Wow, Claire was right, you really are something." Helena complimented, appearing thoughtful as she glanced around her and then back to Prue. Prue smiled faintly but otherwise didn't respond. Helena waved her hand in the direction of another artifact. "What can you tell me about this item?"

Prue recognized it almost immediately. "It's a pillory." She answered. "The markings are Castilian, so I'd say it dates back to the inquisition." She offered, pushing the sleeves of her jacket up slightly so her wrists would better fit in the indentions. "But it's missing a piece." Prue mumbled, speaking of the restraints that would imprison a person.

"The victim's arms were held in place by a bolted restraint." Helena explained matter-of-factly. As she spoke, steel rods shot across the top trapping Prue's wrists in the pillory.

"Prue Halliwell, my brother Gabriel." Helena announced, waving her hand in the direction where Gabriel had just entered from.

Gabriel stopped just behind Prue, a wicked grin on his face. "I'd shake your hand, but it's otherwise engaged."

Prue bit her lip slightly and turned back to Helena. "What are you doing?" She demanded, nervously glancing from Helena to Gabriel and back again.

"Killing a witch." Helena replied shortly.

"Your ancestor's power emanated from her hands. No doubt yours does too." Gabriel began, watching as Prue struggled to slide her hands out of the pillory to no avail.

"My ancestor?" Prue repeated in confusion.

"A witch named Brianna." Helena offered, receiving a look of surprise from Prue. "You're not the only one who has done a little research." She responded to Prue's look.

Prue glared at Helena before transferring it to the pillory. With a squint of her eyes the steel rods released her. She turned on Helena and sent her back into the wall while Gabriel struggled to recover from his surprise and unsheathe his sword. Knowing his intent, Prue grabbed the nearest weapon (an axe) and imbedded it in Gabriel's shoulder. Her eyes widened in horror when Gabriel didn't bleed and even smiled at her attempt. Without waiting for the next move, Prue spun around and bolted for the door. Gabriel threw his sword after her and it slammed into the wall beside the door, missing Prue by inches. Prue jumped and froze, staring wide-eyed at the sword until Gabriel magically called it back to him.

Prue took off for her car and quickly started it up before Gabriel or Helena could catch up to her.

Gabriel and Helena came out in time to see Prue speeding out of the parking lot. "How did she do that?" Helena demanded, crossing her arms angrily.

"She's not like her ancestor; she channels her power through her eyes, not her hands. I won't make that mistake again." Gabriel answered, sheathing his sword.

"She knows about us now. We have to move fast, attack her at home." Helena pointed out.

Gabriel shook his head, staring at the place where Prue's car had disappeared. "No, home is where she has the power of four to protect her. We'll think of another way."

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"I hit Gabriel in the chest with an axe and he didn't even bleed." Prue exclaimed. She was now safely in the Manor with Piper while Phoebe and Paige had dashed up the stairs to get the book as soon as Prue had walked in.

Piper rolled her eyes at Prue's ignorance which was purely her own fault. "As long as he has his sword he's immune to the weapons of man, which we could have told you if you hadn't turned off your cell phone." Piper lectured while Prue smiled faintly at receiving it.

"Yeah, well, I got away and I'm fine." Prue pointed out rather cheerfully for someone who had almost been skewered by a sword.

Phoebe led the way down the stairs behind where Piper and Prue were waiting with Paige just behind her.

"Okay, we found our ancestor Brianna." Paige announced, dropping down into the seat next to Piper while Phoebe dropped the Book of Shadows on the table in front of Prue.

"She was our Great, Great, Great Aunt. She could move things with her mind like Prue." Phoebe continued Paige's thought. Her eyes then flickered down to reread the pages on Brianna. "Now, she disgraced Gabriel during the Crimean War. She used her power to take away his sword." She went on slowly.

"We think he's trying to steal his abilities back." Paige added helpfully.

Prue frowned the more they spoke. "Great, so some guy couldn't keep it in his sheathe and now I'm marked for death." She simplified, appearing none-too-pleased with the situation.

Piper smirked and couldn't resist a joke. "Well, some men are very sensitive about their weapons."

Phoebe ignored Piper and the resulting laugh from Paige to look over the page in the book again. "The Lords of War and their weapons are supposed to be inseparable like Thor and his hammer and I guess Brianna was able to send his sword hundreds of miles away." She read thoughtfully.

"Alright… a sword I can move, but hundreds of miles? I'm not that powerful." Prue admitted if rather grudgingly.

"I could try to orb it into a volcano or something." Paige offered.

Prue and Piper both started to speak against the idea when Phoebe beat them to it. "I got a better idea. I found this incantation." Phoebe began, flipping the pages of the book until she found it. "To multiply your strength, recite these words at length." She turned the book around and passed it to Prue while Piper and Paige quickly gathered around as well.

Prue took a moment to read over the page. "Alright, so all I have to do is say this incantation and I'll be stronger?"

Phoebe nodded quickly. "Hopefully strong enough to separate Gabriel and his sword." She agreed.

"I guess it could work…" Paige mumbled reading through the spell again.

Prue shrugged and nodded too. "Yeah, sounds like a plan to me." She allowed.

Piper's eyes widened slightly in horror. "Uh, no, time out. Bad idea." Piper argued hastily.

"Why? Because it's mine?" Phoebe guessed with narrowed eyes at her older sister.

"No, because there might be a Power of Four solution to this." Piper answered shortly.

"Yeah, but the Book of Shadows doesn't say that. And besides, it's me he's after not you, Phoebe, and Paige." Prue countered.

Piper frowned and shook her head quickly. "Okay, okay, maybe we should just lay low for a few days. You know, use up our sick days." She offered instead.

"And wait for Gabriel to find us?" Prue returned, obviously not about to let it happen. Piper fell silent and Prue went on. "And he might hurt one of you to get to me and I will not take that risk." Prue carefully stood up and grabbed the book, preparing to head up to the attic to say the incantation.

"Okay, Prue, but wait, okay wait!" Piper ordered and Prue reluctantly stopped and faced the younger Halliwell. "At least let us vote on this."

Prue smiled and nodded. "Alright. All in favor or me saying the incantation raise their hands." Prue called, immediately raising her own. Paige's hand went up slowly after giving

Piper an apologetic glance. Piper's gaze turned on Phoebe who was very reluctantly raising her hand despite Piper's glare. Prue nodded and quickly dismissed Piper's argument.

"Sorry, Sis. Majority rules." She reminded Piper before taking the book and walking up the stairs.

"But, Prue…" Piper sighed, turning an angry glare on Phoebe and Paige as Prue disappeared up the stairs reading to herself the incantation.

"Take my powers blessed be  
Multiply their strength by three…"

Phoebe flinched at Piper's glare and Paige nervously bit her lip and transferred her guilty gaze to her hands. "What?" Phoebe mumbled despite knowing full well 'what.'

Piper's glare didn't soften. "You two know what." She snapped.

"I'm sorry, but I really don't have a problem with Prue saying the incantation." Phoebe returned with a shrug. She glanced over at Paige for support.

Paige's eyes met with Piper's and she slowly nodded. "I'm gonna go talk to Prue." She offered, though it wasn't for Piper's benefit. Piper didn't need to know that detail yet. Paige disappeared in a swirl of orbs, most likely to appear in the attic.

Piper smiled smugly at Phoebe assuming she had won over Paige's vote and attempted to persuade Phoebe. "We're in this together and together we're supposed to solve our problems." Piper argued.

"And together we rely on the Book of Shadows to help us when we're in trouble." Phoebe pointed out. "Think about it, Piper. What's the worst that can happen?"

~PO4~

"Prue, I need to talk to you." Paige announced the moment she had materialized in the attic. Prue was already kneeling on the floor and slowly looked up to meet Paige.

"You're not going to talk me out of the spell, Paigey." Prue replied, using a match to light a few candles around her.

Paige joined her next to the book and shook her head, effectively assuring Prue that-that wasn't the reason she wanted to talk. Prue nodded slightly, prompting Paige to explain.

"Okay, Alex, or possibly his invisible friend guy, attacked me at work. I'm pretty sure it was Alex because my powers didn't work which I assume is the result of Piper and I casting that cloaking spell on him." She trailed off when Prue immediately frowned and looked worried.

"Are you okay?" Prue demanded, looking Paige over as if she expected to find a stab wound or something on her baby sister.

Paige nodded assurance before continuing. "But I think that if I had more power than Piper and I combined when the spell was cast then the cloaking spell wouldn't work anymore." Paige explained with a pointed look down at the book that lay on the floor in front of them.

Prue raised her eyebrows and didn't appear pleased with where the conversation was going. "You want to cast the spell too." She guessed. Prue was already shaking her head in disagreement.

"Why not?" Paige demanded, her eyes narrowing dangerously at her eldest sister.

"Paige, it's already bad enough that I've been letting you investigate him by yourself. I'm not going to let you outwardly oppose him without us with you." Prue answered sharply.

"No offense, Prue, but like you said to Piper. I can handle this and if I really need help I'll come to you first. I just want to be able to do something without my big sisters 'coming to my rescue' when I can do it myself. Please, Prue. Let me do this and I'll let you handle your demon whatever way you want." Paige pleaded hopefully.

Prue hesitated, staring at Paige in such a way that it was obvious she was fighting an inner battle. "Are we really that bad?" Prue asked, sighing loudly as she silently gave in to Paige's demand.

Paige smiled and hugged Prue tightly. "Sometimes you guys can be a little suppressive." She explained, pulling back and turning to the book. "Ready?"

"Ready." Prue nodded

~PO4~

Piper and Phoebe were still arguing as thunder that sounded suspiciously like it was coming from the attic shook the Manor. The two sisters on the main floor exchanged nervous glances.

Piper glared at Phoebe since she was the only one around to blame. "What did I tell you?" Piper shot up the stairs with Phoebe on her heels.

"Don't be fresh with me. You'd better run." Phoebe mumbled, taking the stairs two at a time.

Piper and Phoebe ran up and froze in the doorway when they caught sight of their eldest and youngest sister being surrounded by white orbs where they were kneeling down next to the book. "Oh my God!" Piper exclaimed, grabbing onto Phoebe.

"Oh my God!" Phoebe repeated and her mouth dropped as Prue and Paige suddenly multiplied. Now there were three. "Uh, Prue?" Phoebe asked softly.

"What?" All three Prue's responded.

Phoebe blinked and bit her lip. "Paigey?" She called nervously.

"Yeah?" The three Paige's replied. The real Prue and Paige finally seemed to realize their other two counterparts and their own jaws dropped in surprise.

"Okay… three…" Phoebe whispered while Piper just remained silent as she stared at the three Prues and Paiges.

~PO4~

Phoebe knocked loudly on the upstairs bathroom door the next morning. "Hello, there are other people in this house that have styling needs too." She reminded the sister that was locked in the bathroom with a voice that dripped with annoyance.

Piper slowly stumbled up to the door, rubbing the sleep out her eyes. "Is there a Prue in there also?" Piper asked.

"One of them, yes." Phoebe answered shortly.

Piper threw her hands in the air and rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna have to wash my hair in the kitchen sink if I want to get to work on time." She exclaimed. "Do you know which one is the real Prue yet?" Piper demanded after a moment.

"Oh, I don't know. It could be the upstairs-bathroom-hogging Prue or the downstairs-bathroom-hogging Prue or the sitting-in-the-kitchen-drinking-all-the-coffee Prue." Phoebe hissed, inwardly fuming. Piper narrowed her eyes dangerously, obviously not in the mood for Phoebe's sarcasm. Phoebe rolled her eyes and shrugged. "I was hoping you would be able to tell." She replied more seriously.

"I gave up on that. Three of them in my head was giving me a migraine." Piper responded just as irritably. "What about the Paiges?" She questioned.

Phoebe shrugged. "Last I saw they were in the attic discussing what to do about her boyfriend since the spell didn't work out quite the way she wanted."

"He's not my boyfriend, he's my ex." One of the Paiges countered as she passed through the hallway followed by her two other counterparts.

"He just doesn't know it yet." The second Paige added with a smirk.

The last Paige had the Book of Shadows clasped tightly in her arms. "It's a real waste though. He's such a great kisser." She lamented, earning disgusted looks from Piper and Phoebe who appeared as if they could have done without that bit of information.

"Downstairs, all of you!" Piper ordered, pointing to the stairs just as Phoebe knocked again on the bathroom door to try and get Prue out.

The three Paiges obediently followed Piper's orders, if a bit grudgingly as the bathroom door finally opened and Prue walked out. "Is there a problem?" Prue wondered, looking directly at Phoebe.

Phoebe opened her mouth to reply sharply when Piper beat her to it. "Aside from you going off and casting a spell that's kept our bathrooms busy for the past three hours?" Piper asked rhetorically. "Nothing." She answered her own question.

"Don't blame me, I didn't cast the spell." Prue returned cheerfully.

"Great, you're a clone." Phoebe realized, relieved to have figured one of them out.

Prue frowned at the word. "Well, no, I'm not exactly a clone, I mean, I do have all of Prue's memories up until the time she cast the spell so in a lot of ways I am Prue." Prue explained with a smirk at her younger sisters.

"Then it is your fault." Piper snapped, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"No, it's not…" Prue disagreed before flashing an innocent smile to Piper and Phoebe. "… And neither is the lack of hot water." She giggled, pushing between them and heading for the stairs.

Phoebe's mouth dropped in disbelief. "Oh, you didn't… Geez!" Phoebe muttered as she watched Prue walk away.

Piper's hand invariably moved up to cradle her head where she felt a serious migraine coming on. "This is ridiculous. This is like the 'Parent Trap' with a B cup."

Phoebe suddenly smiled in realization. "I think I might've just found a way to take some of the Disney out of our life." She mumbled, turning away from Piper and rushing toward Prue's bedroom.

~PO4~

The three Prues and Paiges had all congregated in the Foyer with large cups of coffee.

"You look great." The Prue farthest to the left complimented to the one next to her.

"No, you look great." The middle Prue replied enthusiastically.

The Prue on the right was trying to play with her skirt so that it accentuated her figure more. "Is my skirt tight enough?" She wondered to the other two.

"Yes." The middle Prue assured her.

"It's perfect." The one on the left agreed.

The three Paiges snorted at the ridiculous conversation that was accentuated by the identical roll of the eyes. "Alright that's enough." The first Paige snapped, walking forward and taking one of the coffee cups out of Prue's hands. "I need this more." She stated, glaring at all three Prues as if she expected an argument. As the first Paige went to take a sip of the coffee it was taken roughly from her hands by the second Paige and then again by the third until the Prue that had initially lost it telematerialized it back into her hand. The Paiges all glared and placed their hands on their hips with an annoyed expression.

Piper and Phoebe rushed down the stairs before any argument could potentially erupt. Phoebe was carrying three different colored sweaters in her arms. "Okay, which one of you is the real Prue?" Phoebe demanded.

All three Prues raised their hands. Piper glared at them. "Stop that." She ordered sharply before pointing to the Prue on the left that had just taken the coffee cup back. "That's the real Prue."

"I should have known the coffee stealer Prue was the real one." Paige One lamented in which the real Prue just smirked.

Phoebe ushered the Paiges out of the way and tossed the black sweater to the real Prue. "Okay, then you get the black sweater." She decided.

The real Prue stared at the sweater curiously. "Phoebe, what are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm color-coding. It's the only way we are going to be able to tell you three apart." Phoebe explained before passing the pink sweater to the middle Prue. "Clone A gets the pink sweater and Clone B gets the blue sweater."  
"  
Thank you." The 'Pink' Prue appreciated followed by a reluctant "Thanks." From 'Blue' Prue.

Phoebe then turned to the Paiges. "Alright… real Paige, where are you?" She demanded, staring at each of them as if trying to figure it out.

The middle Paige raised her hand quickly. "That would be me!"

"Okay, you wear black today. The other two clones can wear whatever color but YOU wear black. Got it? That way the REAL Prue and Paige are wearing black." Phoebe decided, glancing at Piper for affirmation.

"Good thinking with the colors." Piper allowed.

Phoebe nodded slightly in acknowledgement. "Thanks. But it's only a temporary solution." She admitted softly.

"And the spell?" Piper wondered, turning her brown eyes on the Prues and Paiges.

"Oh, the spell is only temporary too. We're only here as long as we're needed." 'Pink Prue' answered promptly.

"We were called for a reason and once that reason's gone the spell wears out and we disappear." The 'Blue Prue' elaborated while 'Real Prue' nodded, appearing impressed with her clones.

"Once we vanquish Gabriel." 'Pink Prue' explained further for no other reason than to outshine 'Blue Prue.'

Paige One rolled her eyes at the competition between the Prue clones. "Once WE uncloak Alex." She added.

A look of confusion crossed the real Paige's features. "Uncloak him? That's not why I called you…" Real Paige mumbled uncertainly.

Paige One started to reply but Paige Two beat her to it. "It's the reason behind it. You called us because you weren't powerful enough to fight off Alex…"

"… And so once we uncloak him, you will be able to fight him off so our job will be done." Paige One interrupted.

Piper exchanged a look with Phoebe. "And how are we planning on doing this?" Piper's eyes widened when the Prues and Paiges all started talking. "Prue first." She cut in irritably.

"Prue always gets to go first…" Paige Two pouted, earning a glare from 'Blue Prue' before the 'Pink Prue' spoke up.

"Funny you should ask. I was thinking…" 'Pink Prue' began before the Real Prue could even begin to answer.

"That we could find Gabriel by tracking down the ownership records to that Roman Vessel…" 'Blue Prue interrupted.

"… In Bucklands antiquities database." 'Pink Prue' finished with glance at 'Blue Prue.'

Real Prue smiled and walked up to join her sisters. "That's why I called my assistant…" She trailed off as 'Pink Prue' pointedly cleared her throat. "… Our assistant…" Prue amended with a slight nod in 'Pink Prue's' direction. "… and she's already on it."

'Blue Prue' smirked at the younger Halliwell sisters. "Are we good or what?" She stated rhetorically.

"Are you sure you have the power to vanquish him?" Piper asked unconvinced. She narrowed her eyes when the Paiges started laughing, but otherwise ignored them.

"Observe." Real Prue returned, waving her hands for the other two Prues to join her as she walked toward the marble statue that was in the Conservatory. "Ladies, shall we." They joined hands and 'Blue Prue,' who was in the middle, channeled all three of their power to levitate the statue easily several feet above the floor. "Enough said?" Real Prue questioned with a pointed look back at her sisters that were staring open-mouthed at the display.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and glanced in the direction of the Paiges. "Alright, hot shot, what's your plan?"

The Real Paige was the one to speak first. "Mr. Cowan already thinks I'm sick from yesterday so we're going to stay here…"

"… And write an uncloaking spell. At noon, we're supposed to meet Alex in the park…" Paige Two followed with a smirk to the real Paige. At least until Paige One interrupted her.

"… where we'll say the spell before he even knows what's hit him." Paige One finished smugly.

Piper and Phoebe just stared in disapproval at their eldest and youngest sister and their clones.

The Prues were gently sitting the statue back where it had been when the door bell rang. "I'll get that." 'Pink Prue' decided, heading off for the front door just as the phone began to ring.

"I'll get the phone." 'Blue Prue' stated as much as offered before heading towards it, leaving the real Prue to look uncertainly around.

"Wait, I should…" Real Prue started to stop 'Pink Prue' but she was already opening the door so the real Prue ducked out of the way.

"You've got mail." Rang through the house and the Paiges all turned toward the laptop used at Social Services.

Paige One was already moving for it. "I'll check it."

Real Paige glared and took off into the conservatory after Paige One. "No way, that's mine." She pointed out while Paige Two skipped along behind them, leaving Piper and Phoebe standing in the Foyer. They both ducked away next to Real Prue in time for the front door to open.

~PO4~

'Pink Prue' pulled the door open to find Andy standing on the front steps. "Andy, hi." She greeted cheerfully, casually leaning against the door while the real Prue stopped her retreat and listened intently when she heard Andy's name.  
29/05/2018 Season 1 Rewrite: The Power of Four Which Prue Is It Anyway?, a charmed fanfic | FanFiction

"Hi, can I come in?" Andy asked, noting how she seemed to be trying to inconspicuously block the door.

"Now's not really a good time." 'Pink Prue' admitted before her eyes flickered to his tie. "Wow that is a nice tie." She complimented suddenly.

Andy chuckled softly. "Thanks."

"So, uh, what did I do now?" 'Pink Prue' wondered, being sure to put it in her most innocent voice.

"I don't know, you tell me." Andy suggested.

'Pink Prue' smiled and shrugged. "Whatever it is, I have an alibi." She replied.

"Good thing this is a social call then." Andy returned with a faint smile.

"Social call? Really? Now you're beginning to look suspicious." She quipped, effectively earning a laugh from Andy.

Andy reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a couple slips of paper. "Remember a few months ago, we ordered tickets to the Bay Area Music Awards?" 'Pink Prue' nodded slightly and he continued. "They came in the mail. I thought you might want them.

'Pink Prue' hesitantly took the tickets from Andy. "That is so sweet."

"You can take anyone you want. Even an old boyfriend who's just a friend now, but loves good music." Andy went on with a soft chuckle.

"I'll take that into consideration." 'Pink Prue' assured him.

"Yeah, you ponder that." Andy allowed before offering her one last smile. "I'll see ya'."

Real Prue's shoulders slumped in disappointment as Andy walked away and even more when 'Pink Prue' shut the door, blocking her last view. "Why did we break up with him?" 'Pink Prue' wondered, turning back to the real Prue.

"He broke up with us first, remember?" Real Prue prompted.

"Too bad." 'Pink Prue' lamented as 'Blue Prue' slammed the phone back down on its cradle.

'Blue Prue' returned to her place with the rest of the Halliwells. "Houston, we have a problem." She announced dramatically.

"Raging clone hormones?" Phoebe guessed sarcastically.

'Blue Prue' narrowed her eyes at Phoebe. "No." She replied shortly. "That was Claire calling. She said that if I, well, one of us doesn't get to the office pronto, you'll be looking for a new job." 'Blue Prue' explained to the real one.

Real Prue's eyes widened and she looked desperately around for some inspiration. "Okay, okay, we can swing this." She decided.

Piper stared at Prue in disbelief. "No, no, no, wait. You're not seriously thinking about leaving the house?"

"You can't hide three you's at the office." Phoebe pointed out.

"Two of us may not be able to separate Gabriel from his sword but we can certainly fight him off." 'Blue Prue' argued.

"Which means two of us can go and save Prue's job and whoever's left behind can go to Quake with Piper or stay here with the Paiges." 'Pink Prue' suggested, expanding 'Blue Prue's' thought.

Paige One bit her lip and disagreed immediately. "You said you would let us do this our self." She countered in which even the Real Paige looked surprised at her clone.

The Prues shrugged and turned to Piper who was shaking her head enthusiastically. "Oh, no, no, no. Forget it." Piper snapped.

"Piper, you have an active power, and besides, Phoebe, your premonition didn't happen at Quake, right?" Real Prue responded, turning on them.

Phoebe hesitated. "I can't be sure…" She mumbled reluctantly for she had no real argument.

Real Prue ignored Phoebe's answer. "Still, worst case scenario, Piper freezes Gabriel and she runs."

"No, no, I don't like this idea. I don't like it at all. I think we should all stay together, all eight of us." Piper decided.

"I think Piper's right." Phoebe also agreed. "The book said it requires the strength of three to take on Gabriel. It's not safe to split up." She went on.

'Pink Prue' exchanged a glance with 'Blue Prue.' "The Paiges aren't staying here."

Real Paige's eyes widened and she turned on the Real Prue. "Prue, tell your clones to be quiet or they'll give Piper and Phoebe ideas." She exclaimed.

Real Prue nodded slightly in acknowledgement. "Okay. All who don't like the plan…?" Real Prue offered and watched as Piper and Phoebe raised their hands. "… All who do…?" The three Prue's raised their hands. "Oh, wow, once again majority rules. Sorry Sis." The three Prues smirked and followed one another down the hallway, leaving Piper and Phoebe to exchange worried glances in the Foyer.

"Wait, Prue. The Paiges didn't vote!" Phoebe called, mostly out of desperation.

Real Paige raised her hands and backed away. "We promised to stay out of each other's demon issues until we asked for it." She explained and then waved her hand toward the attic. "We'll be in the attic… until noon if you need us."


	32. Which Prue Is It Anyway ? (Part 2)

Bucklands Auction House

Real Prue and 'Pink Prue' walked through the halls of Bucklands Auction house with Real Prue hiding her face behind a magazine as they made their way to Prue's office. As 'Pink Prue' caught sight of their assistant, she pushed the real Prue behind a wall and quickly caught the assistant's attention.

"Hi, is Claire around?" 'Pink Prue' asked cheerfully.

The assistant smiled faintly and nodded. "She's been buzzing every fifteen minutes." She explained with a chuckle. "You want me to get her?" She wondered politely.

"Not yet." 'Pink Prue' stopped her, her demand a little too hasty to be casual. "Uh, did you dig up the information on the Roman Vessel?" She questioned, ignoring the weird glance the assistant was sending her.

The assistant nodded and took a piece of paper off her desk and handed it to 'Pink Prue.' "Hot off the laser jet." The assistant answered.

'Pink Prue's' eyes immediately searched for Gabriel's address. She smiled triumphantly upon seeing it. "Gabriel Statler's address. Good." She praised, now thinking of how to get rid of her assistant for the day. "Now I need you to get me photocopies of all my sales files for the quarter." 'Pink Prue' ordered.

Real Prue rolled her eyes in disbelief at the job 'Pink Prue' had come up with.

The assistant's eyes widened as well. "But that could take hours." She pointed out.

"You're right, you know what, I need you to get me copies of everyone's files." 'Pink Prue' decided when 'hours' wasn't good enough and led her assistant toward the door.

"But that could take days." She exclaimed.

'Pink Prue' just smiled and pushed her down the hall. "Well then you better start now. Bye bye." When her assistant had disappeared down the hallway, 'Pink Prue' turned cockily to Real Prue and waited expectantly.

Real Prue's eyes were narrowed in silent disapproval as she pulled her magazine back over her face and followed 'Pink Prue' into their office. As soon as 'Pink Prue' had closed the door behind them, real Prue tossed the magazine on her desk and turned sharply to her clone. "Did you have to make her photocopy all of the files?" She demanded, crossing her arms in a show of disapproval.

"You wanted her to see us together?" 'Pink Prue' asked rhetorically and with a cool air.

Real Prue shook her head in annoyance. "No, but you didn't even thank her and you were so bossy."

"That's why we're called bosses." 'Pink Prue' explained as if talking to a child. Real Prue rolled her eyes while 'Pink Prue' wasted no time in getting down to business. "Alright, so now that we have Gabriel Statler's address…" She started.

"No." Real Prue interrupted. "Alright, you stay here and I will talk to Claire first." She decided with her own babying voice.

"Why do you get to talk to Claire?" 'Pink Prue' demanded, appearing to have taken offense.

"Because I still have to work here when all this is over." Real Prue returned snappily.

"Prue, are you in there?" Claire's annoyed voice sounded through the office door.

The two Prues' eyes widened. "Claire!" They exclaimed, looking around for inspiration.

'Pink Prue' pushed the real Prue behind the door just as the door opened and Claire stepped in. 'Pink Prue' was just barely able to catch the swinging door before it slammed Real

Prue against the wall. "Claire, hi." 'Pink Prue' greeted with forced innocence.

"I want an explanation for yesterday." Claire snapped, having no time for pleasantries.

"What do you mean?" 'Pink Prue' feigned ignorance.

"Helena Statler called to tell me she was so offended by your behavior that she's taking her collection to Christie's. What happened?" Claire elaborated, narrowing her eyes dangerously at 'Pink Prue.'  
'  
Pink Prue' nodded quickly in understanding and forced a smile. "Claire, um, I've already made arrangements to make a personal apology and put Bucklands back in the running."

She fabricated before pulling out the ownership records of the Roman vessel. "As a matter of fact, I convinced Miss Statler to meet me at her estate. See, here's the address."

Claire took the paper harshly and tried to push the door closed again as she attempted to step into Prue's office. Real Prue bit her lip and squeezed up against the wall while casting 'Pink Prue' a glare for the predicament. Claire didn't seem to notice any resistance to the door. "Okay, you really think you can get this account back?" Claire asked as she read over the paper.

"I'd stake my job on it." 'Pink Prue' answered, earning a look of disbelief from Real Prue.

"Good, because you just did." Claire laughed before glancing back down at the paper. "Alright, I'll grab my briefcase and we'll take my car." She went on.

Real Prue frantically shook her head and mouthed 'no' to 'Pink Prue.' "Uh, No!" 'Pink Prue' repeated.

Claire turned around with a mocking smile at 'Pink Prue.' "No? Oh, yes, yes, yes. I'm not gonna leave you alone with that client again." She countered, spinning around and leaving Prue behind.

Real Prue closed the door as Claire left. "What was that?" She demanded with a dramatic hand movement back at Claire.

"Hail Mary Pass?" 'Pink Prue' offered, biting her lip slightly.

Real Prue sighed and nodded in reluctant understanding. "Okay, let us think, um, alright I got it. I will take Claire to the wrong address, pretend we've been stood up or something. You call the other one of us at Quake…" She decided aloud.

"I love it when I'm so decisive." 'Pink Prue' remarked, earning a look of annoyance from Real Prue.

"Okay, look, go get the other Prue and take her to the Manor. Okay and we'll finish this." Real Prue repeated slowly trying to make sure 'Pink Prue' understood. Real Prue pushed past her clone and picked the phone up off her desk, dialing a number. "Hey, yeah, Pheebs, it's me… No, the real one… I'm just checking in." She began.

'Pink Prue' rolled her eyes at the real Prue. "We do that a lot don't we?" She asked rhetorically. "Check in with our sisters, make sure they're okay." 'Pink Prue elaborated when the

Real Prue stared at her in confusion. "Don't you think that if there WAS a problem they would call us and let us know?"

Real Prue's eyes narrowed at her counterpart. "Phoebe, I'll call you back. I have to go yell at myself." She explained, hanging up the phone and preparing for a lecture, which 'Pink Prue' readily awaited.

"Prue?" Claire's voice interrupted just as Real Prue was about to start.

Instead, Real Prue glared and resigned herself to just pushing 'Pink Prue' out of the way before racing to intercept Claire at the door. "Hi, hi! You ready to go?" Real Prue wondered enthusiastically.

"Wow, did you change your sweater?" Claire questioned in surprise as her eyes looked at Prue's now-black sweater.

"Yeah, black's more my color, don't you think?" Real Prue returned rhetorically before grabbing Claire's arm and pulling her out to the door that would lead them to the parking lot.

~PO4~

Golden Gate Park

The three Paiges took one of the deserted trails to get around to where they were supposed to find Alex. Obviously they didn't want the other people to recognize three thems.

Real Paige was the only one dressed up in a casual black dress while the other two were wearing everyday clothes.

"Okay, let's go over the plan again…" Real Paige decided as they continued down the trail. "So I'm meeting Alex and will try to get a confession from him…"

"We will be nearby, ready to come out and say the spell…" Paige One picked up the thought until Paige Two interrupted.

"…As soon as either he confesses or he looks as if he's getting violent." Paige Two finished with a smirk while Paige One looked annoyed. The Real Paige just nodded in satisfaction.

"How come you get to play with the boyfriend?" Paige Two whined, appearing to really hate this strenuous activity of dodging roots on the trail.

The real Paige rolled her eyes. "One, because I'm the one dressed up. Two, because I'm the real one and so he doesn't get suspicious of your split personalities." She explained as if that solved everything.

Paige Two sighed while Paige One suddenly stopped and held her hand out for the other two to do the same. "I think we should hide here." Paige One suggested.

The Real Paige nodded in agreement. "Okay, everyone have their spells?" She asked. Her two counterparts nodded and the real Paige left them to meet Alex just a bit farther down the path. She had hardly gone ten feet when she heard identical screams, her screams, behind her. Instinctively she orbed out just as Alex faded in next to her and tried to grab her. When she reappeared she saw her two counterparts being pulled forward by two warlocks and Alex was slowly advancing on her again.

"I knew you would figure it out sooner or later." Alex admitted with a pointed glance back at the two other Paiges.

Paige took advantage of the moment and called for a nearby solid branch that raced through the air amidst orbs to hit Alex. Just before it reached him it seemingly bounced off an invisible barrier. Real Paige cursed but kept control of it, instead sending it toward one of the other warlocks before they could react.

The newly freed Paige Two kicked the fallen warlock in the head before tackling the one holding Paige One. Together the two Paige clones scuffled for control over the other warlock.

Alex frowned deeply and raised an athame toward the clones but Real Paige jumped forward with a yell and knocked it from his hands. They both fell, trying to grab the dropped athame. Alex roughly held her down while trying to reach for it, but Real Paige kicked up and sent him to the side.

"Athame!" She called and it orbed to her hands. She jumped to her feet before the dazed Alex could recover and joined her now free counterparts. "Okay, now." Real Paige ordered.

"Wanted by good, you're dark as night  
I uncloak you now from this witch's light  
You are now vulnerable to our might."

The following silence was broken by Alex's laugh as nothing happened. The Paiges glanced nervously at each other… first of all they were all still here so something went wrong somewhere. They took steps backwards as the warlocks recovered and advanced upon them.

~PO4~

Quake

Piper flipped through the inventory records as she headed for the ringing phone that rested at the bar. "Thank you for calling Quake." Piper answered absentmindedly.

"Hi, Piper, it's me." 'Pink Prue' enthused.

Piper let her clipboard fall and she narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "What color?" She demanded.

"The pink one!" 'Pink Prue' replied while Piper rolled her eyes dramatically. "The real Prue just left with Claire, look, I need you to get the Blue One to the Manor. We're meeting Prue there before we go to Gabriel's estate." She explained casually.

"I've been thinking, have you guys thought about what happens after you separate Gabriel from his sword?" Piper asked.

'Pink Prue' shrugged though Piper couldn't see her. "Well, the book said she took away his sword and that was it." She pointed out.

"Well, what if he still comes after you? He's a warlord, remember?" Piper went on pointedly.

"Once we get the sword, we'll destroy him. He would be crazy to take us on. Piper, don't worry. We have a plan and we have the power." 'Pink Prue' assured the younger sister.

Piper sighed softly. "I just don't want to lose you…" She explained and then looked confused for a moment. "… Any of you." Piper amended.

"You won't, I promise. Bye." 'Pink Prue' hung up and skipped out the office door.

Piper sighed again and went off to the kitchen in search of 'Blue Prue.' "The Pink…" Piper trailed off as she caught sight of 'Blue Prue' flirting with the chefs as she taste-tested their spaghetti. "… One just called and wants you to meet her." She finished uncertainly. "Prue, what are you doing?" Piper demanded, completely caught off guard by Prue's uncharacteristic actions.

'Blue Prue' licked her fingers and turned slightly back to one of the cooks with a seductive smile. "Trying today's special…" She answered offhandedly. "I think it needs a teeny bit more parmesan." She remarked to the chef, licking her fingers again and tossing her hair over her shoulder.

"I'm sure it's fine since today's special is glazed short ribs…" Piper replied, shaking her head slightly as one of the chef's readily complied with Prue's demands.

'Blue Prue' lightly pushed his hand away. "Forget the parmesan because if anyone knows food, it's my Piper." She allowed, with a quick smile back at her younger sister. 'Blue Prue' turned back to the staring chef. "What's your specialty?"

Piper quickly stepped in before the conversation could go any farther. "Alright, come on you guys, get to work, there you go, yeah, I know it's thrilling, alright." Piper ordered, pushing them away from her seductive sister.

"Yeah, I guess I shouldn't pet the help." 'Blue Prue' agreed, though her eyes followed them as they left.

Piper just laughed in disbelief. "What has gotten into you? Who has gotten into you? Because you're nothing like the real Prue."

"Actually, I'm exactly like the real Prue. Just the side that doesn't get to come out and play enough. I'm the flip side of the corporate, conservative clone." 'Blue Prue' explained as she ate another piece of spaghetti.

"Alright, that's enough, get out of my kitchen before my cook's overheat." Piper ordered, pushing 'Blue Prue' toward the door. 'Blue Prue' offered her a piece of spaghetti that Piper readily declined. "No, I don't want that. Nuh uh."

~PO4~

The Park

Paige One threw her hand out at the nearest warlock. "Back!" She yelled a swirl of orbs flying at him. He waved his hand and the orbs moved around him as if being deviated away. Her eyes widened and she turned quickly to the real Paige, who was busy fighting Alex to keep the athame. "Paige, him!" She called, pointing back at her warlock. "Back!"

Paige One ordered again and Alex flew away from the real Paige.

Now free from Alex temporarily, Real Paige turned her attention to the warlock Paige One pointed out and tossed the athame at him as Paige Two distracted him. The athame struck him in the side and he sunk to the ground before exploding with a yell of defiance.

Paige One and Paige Two were suddenly surrounded by white orbs and disappeared, leaving Real Paige with the last two warlocks. The warlock Paige didn't recognize had now taken up the athame and threw it at the stunned witchlighter. "Athame!" Paige screamed, throwing her hands up to shield her face. The athame changed direction back at him and impaled him. Paige let out a breath and hastily backed away, putting a little bit of distance between herself and Alex. "One on one." She whispered a little more relieved. Until she heard Prue's frantic calling in her head. When she looked back up at Alex, he had an energy ball balanced carefully in his hand. He tossed it and Paige orbed out at the last second  
to reappear nearby Bucklands Auction House.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

'Pink Prue' stepped out of the elevator into the Bucklands parking deck. She turned away and put her purse in front of her face as the real Prue and Claire drove by in Claire's car.

She vaguely saw Real Prue block her from Claire's view before they were gone and 'Pink Prue' went on. As she made for her car a flash bomb rolled down the stairs, just in front of her. The light flashed and she fell back against her car. Her hand moved instinctively to her eyes when she realized she couldn't see.

"Blinded by the light?" Gabriel laughed as he stepped from the smoke that was now spewing from the bomb. His sword was drawn and he wasted no time in approaching the weakened Prue.

In desperation 'Pink Prue' squinted in the general direction that she believed him to be. His sword flew back and cut Gabriel across the cheek.

"You cut me, witch!" Gabriel yelled, pulling his sword back around. In anger, he stabbed her in the stomach.

~PO4~

Real Prue lurched forward, curling against the sudden pain that shot through her stomach. "Ahh…" She screamed, fighting tears and just trying to breath in such a way that it didn't hurt so much.

Claire glanced over at her in worry. "Prue?" She called uncertainly.

~PO4~

'Pink Prue' had slid from the car down to the ground when Gabriel roughly pulled his sword from her body. "Prue…" She whispered, aware of the pain she was now causing the real one. Her eyes closed and Gabriel eagerly placed his sword over her body, ready to gain her soul and power from the dead witch.

"Come on, give it to me…" He muttered when there were no immediate results.

Helena ran up behind Gabriel to join him. "Where's her soul? Her magic?" She asked in concern.

Gabriel harshly pulled his sword away from the dead Prue. "I've been tricked!" He realized, turning on his sister. "She has none. Whoever this is, it's not the real witch."

~PO4~

Claire had stopped her car and was watching Prue with eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay?" She questioned, trying to get some response from her employee.

Prue shook her head slowly only after the pain subsided a little. "No, I'm not." Prue admitted softly. She leaned back into the seat and closed her eyes willing the lingering pain to go away.

~PO4~

Coroner's Office

"Autopsy's scheduled for first thing tomorrow morning but the case officer said you might be able to I.D. the body now." The coroner explained to Andy as he followed behind pulling latex gloves on.

Andy took the small plastic baggie that the coroner handed him. "Homicide victim, right?" Andy asked.

The coroner opened up the specific morgue that held the body. "Somebody ran her through with a bladed weapon so I'd call it a big yes." He replied casually before glancing quickly behind him at Andy. "No I.D. on the body but those are her personal effects." He went on, nodding toward the baggie he had just given Andy.

Andy turned his attention to the personal items and didn't watch as the coroner pulled 'Pink Prue's' body out on the slab. Andy froze as he pulled out two tickets to the Bay Area Music Awards. Silently denying what he saw in his hand, he very slowly looked at the body dreading what he might see. "Prue…" Andy recognized her immediately. The tickets dropped from his hand and he moved toward her, his world collapsing around him.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe was practicing her newly learned martial arts moves against Slam-Man when the doorbell rang later that afternoon. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, she hastily pulled the gloves off and answered the door to find Andy on the other side of the threshold. "Hey, Andy." Phoebe greeted a little confused as she watched him wipe what must have been tears away from his eyes.

Andy didn't answer for a moment as he stepped into the house he had practically grown up in with Pr… her. "Phoebe, I'm sorry." He apologized suddenly.

"What'd you do?" Phoebe asked, shutting the door behind him and turning rather cheerily to him.

Andy visibly flinched at her cheer which would be destroyed in but a few moments. "This is serious, Phoebe." He scolded her gently and Phoebe immediately frowned in concern.

"In homicide I've done this many times before but this is the worst…" He mumbled. Phoebe was getting more worried the more he talked. "… Prue's dead. They found her body dumped in a ravine near the Presidio."

Phoebe was silent mostly out of denial. She slowly shook her head. It couldn't have been her and she turned to the only 'logical' explanation… a clone. "Are you sure that it was Prue?" Phoebe whispered.

"I saw her body." Andy admitted. He took a moment to compose himself as Phoebe's eyes filled with tears. "Investigating officers found a couple of drops of blood on the path away from the ravine, blood that probably belonged to the murderer." He continued softly.

Phoebe irritably wiped the tears from her eyes, refusing to believe anything of the sort. "What was she wearing, Andy?" Phoebe demanded suddenly, acutely aware of how crazy she was going to sound.

Andy trailed off in confusion. "Excuse me?" Andy inquired, deciding he must have heard wrong.

"What color was she wearing, Andy?" Phoebe snapped.

"What color?" Andy repeated, beginning to sound angry. Who the hell was Phoebe to be worrying about what her sister had been wearing when she had died? "Phoebe, did you hear what I just said?" He asked.

Phoebe rolled her eyes, her patience running thin. "Okay, Andy, now I'm serious. Do you have any idea what color sweater she was wearing when they found her? I know it sounds strange, Andy, but it's important." Phoebe insisted.

"I think the report said pink." He offered, his eyes narrowed at the younger Halliwell sister.

Phoebe let out the breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding and dropped her head in her hands in relief. "Thank god…" She breathed.

Andy was staring at her in disbelief. "I just told you I saw your sister dead and you're relieved?"

Phoebe frowned nervously and hesitantly reached out to pat his shoulder comfortingly. "Andy, it's uh, no secret that we fought at times." She began.

"What the hell kind of answer is that, Phoebe?" Andy yelled, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Before Phoebe could come up with a response, Piper led 'Blue Prue' from the kitchen in the process of scolding the older Halliwell sister. "If you have any more ideas about how to rearrange my business, you can save it…" Piper was saying when she noticed Andy. "Oh, hi Andy." She greeted.

"Andy, nice tie." 'Blue Prue' complimented.

Andy's jaw had dropped in disbelief and he was now trying to stutter a response. "Prue… I was just at the morgue…" He mumbled, turning slightly as he heard the front door open.

Behind him Real Prue and Real Paige stumbled in. Piper's eyes widened and she hastily froze Andy before he noticed the real Prue.

Phoebe glanced around at everyone thoughtfully. "Okay, I may not be an expert, but I think this is the time somebody hides." She decided.

"Prue, Paige, what's the matter?" Piper demanded suddenly as she noted a very pale Prue with her arm pressed against her stomach and a very worried Paige, half-supporting Prue.

"Um, we think…" Paige started only to be interrupted by Prue.

"What's he doing here?" Real Prue questioned, nodding toward Andy.

Phoebe slowly turned to face Real Prue. "Uh, he saw you dead at the morgue, obviously a clone, and thought it would be better to break the news here." Phoebe explained.

"One of us is dead? I knew it. I felt it happen." Real Prue whispered.

'Blue Prue' looked confused. "What do you mean? I didn't feel anything."

"I was in the car with Claire and when she died, it felt like it was me." Real Prue elaborated.

Piper sighed and her hand moved up to cradle her head as the situation brought about another migraine. "Uh, okay, but one crisis at a time. Prue, Paige, you gotta go hide, go, get." She ordered, waving her hands for the real Prue and Paige to get a move on.

Prue glanced one last time at Andy's frozen form before she headed for another room. Paige hesitated as well before following. "Good luck with him." Paige offered.

As soon as they had disappeared, Piper allowed the freeze to wear off.

"… And I was in the morgue and you were on a slab…" Andy finished, completely befuddled by everything.

Piper smiled sympathetically at him. "Andy, you know what they say, everyone has a twin out there somewhere."

Andy shook his head irritably and glared at the sisters. "Not like this. There has to be a better explanation about what I saw." He insisted.

"Okay, well, why do we have to come up with it?" Phoebe wondered a little sharply.

Andy rounded on her. "I know what I saw." Andy repeated sternly.

'Blue Prue' quickly stepped forward before a fight could break out. "Okay, look, Andy, it means the world to me that you came but I'm here and believe me, I didn't get killed today. As you can see I'm very much alive. And I'm fine, I promise." She assured him gently.

"I can't argue with that." Andy agreed with a laugh of relief. His eyes flickered over Piper and Phoebe who were downplaying the whole situation. Even if Prue hadn't been killed they should at least be acting relieved or worried at least a little. Without another word, he started for the door but decided he needed to check. "By the way, did you make up your mind about the concert?" He asked curiously.

"What concert?" 'Blue Prue' inquired in confusion.

Andy's eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly. This, obviously Prue, was not the same Prue he'd seen this morning or she would remember the concert tickets. "The Bay Area Music Awards." He answered.

"Oh, you mean the tickets that we ordered months ago." 'Blue Prue' realized, walking him toward the door. "Did those tickets finally come in?" She questioned as she opened the door for him.

Andy nodded slightly. "Yeah, they came in the mail…" He began before forcing a smile. "… Maybe I'll bring them over some time." He offered.

'Blue Prue' nodded eagerly and watched him walk down the steps before closing the door behind him. Not before Helena Statler, who was sitting outside in her car, caught sight of her at the door.

~PO4~

As 'Blue Prue' walked Andy to the door, Real Prue, Paige, Piper and Phoebe had moved to the conservatory. Prue dropped into the couch between Phoebe and Paige while Piper sat in one of the arm chairs.

"Okay, where are the Paiges?" Phoebe asked, looking around as if she expected them to just pop up.

Paige sighed loudly and leaned slightly against Prue. "They disappeared after we killed this warlock that worked with Alex. The spell didn't work so I think the warlock was the one that was blocking my magic so that after he was vanquished, they were no longer needed." Paige explained quickly.

Piper nodded appearing relieved that the Paiges were gone. "Awesome, so how'd it go with Alex? Vanquish him?" She questioned curiously.

"Err… not exactly. He threw some blue electric ball thing at me and I orbed out to Prue." Paige replied with a frown.

"So…" Phoebe started, only to be interrupted by 'Blue Prue' as she joined everyone else.

"Alright, we need to do something. Gabriel is going to find us and there aren't enough of us left to defeat him." 'Blue Prue' pointed out, sitting on the arm of Piper's chair.

Piper glanced at Paige before reluctantly allowing the change in subject. "How do you know he's still after you?" Piper wondered, ever hopeful that the demons would just give up.

"Because I'm still here and as long as I'm needed the spell is still on." 'Blue Prue' answered casually.

"Do you think Gabriel knows he didn't get the real Prue?" Phoebe asked.

'Blue Prue' nodded slightly. "I'd bet on it." She offered. "We're gonna need more us's to fight him."

Paige groaned at the thought of casting the spell again while Piper looked alarmed. "More Prues?" Piper demanded, turning on Real Prue.

Real Prue shook her head in assurance as she remembered the feel of the sword in her stomach. "Don't worry, I'm never casting that spell again. I won't risk anymore me's." She mumbled.

"What about our plan?" 'Blue Prue' questioned sharply.

"We will still use our powers to sneak into Gabriel's estate. Except we won't be alone when we find him." Prue replied.

'Blue Prue' thought the hinted idea over before grinning in agreement. "Prue, we're geniuses." She complimented them both.

"That's your plan?" Piper demanded in disbelief.

Phoebe groaned and dropped her head into her hands. "What are you people thinking?"

Paige narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Yeah, enough with the silent conversations we can't follow." She agreed pointing between her and Phoebe.

Real Prue smiled faintly at her younger sisters. "Gabriel Statler is a flesh and blood human with a flesh and blood sister. The only thing that protects him, that makes him invulnerable is that sword." She began.

"… And Gabriel has this weird binding passion for Helena. So, if we grab her we can use her as leverage. His sword for his sister." 'Blue Prue' finished confidently.

"That's your plan?" Phoebe repeated Piper's previous words.

"Do you think he won't protect his own flesh and blood?" 'Blue Prue' retorted, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Paige bit her lip slightly before turning to Real Prue. "Well, not everyone is as over-protective as you… two." She pointed out with a shrug.

Real Prue sighed. "Okay, look, we grab Helena and either he trades his sword for her life or we use her to buy more time until we figure out a way to separate him from his sword." She amended.

"Okay, so we'll go with you." Piper allowed, recognizing that she wouldn't be able to change Prue's mind about this.

Real Prue's eyes widened in horror and she immediately shook her head. "No way." She snapped before taking a breath and explaining as her sisters stared at her in surprise.

"Today I felt my own death and when that sword went in, I felt my life slipping away. I couldn't even imagine something like that happening to one of you. I'm more protective of you guys." With that she slowly stood up and followed 'Blue Prue' up to their room, leaving Piper, Phoebe and Paige in the conservatory.

~PO4~

Gabriel Statler's Estate

Gabriel was sitting at his chess table playing with himself when Helena came up behind him. "Anything from surveillance?" He asked almost bored.

"I saw at least two women identical to Prue Halliwell. One was leaving the restaurant in a blue sweater and the other was entering the Manor in a black sweater." Helena answered promptly as she leaned against the back of Gabriel's chair. "We're gonna have to chance it and attack her at home…" She could tell Gabriel was about to argue. "…Just wait until the hours right before dawn when their certain to be asleep and vulnerable." Helena suggested with a wicked grin.

Gabriel looked thoughtful as he moved one of his chess pieces. "Checkmate." He said aloud, a silent agreement for Helena's plan.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe, Paige, and Piper threw Prue's door open to find the two remaining Prues preparing to go to Gabriel's estate. "Can we have a word with Prue?" Piper asked though it was obvious she wasn't leaving without getting what she wanted.

"Sure." Both Prues answered, pulling on their sweaters.

"The real Prue." Piper amended shortly.

The two Prues exchanged a glance. "Yeah, what's up?" Real Prue inquired.

Paige slipped through so that she was in front of Piper. "In private please." She added with a pointed glance at 'Blue Prue.'

"It's sister stuff." Phoebe explained to the 'Blue Prue' before realizing what she was saying. "Uh, no offense." She apologized hastily.

'Blue Prue' shrugged and gave the slightest of nods. "None taken." 'Blue Prue' assured them. "I'll wait out in the hall." She decided, squeezing through Piper, Phoebe, and Paige at the door. Paige closed the door behind her and they all turned to Real Prue.

Real Prue frowned, knowing exactly what they wanted to say, and dropped onto the edge of her bed. "I know what you guys are going to say and please don't try to talk me out of it." Real Prue pleaded.

"Okay, forgive us for not wanting you dead." Phoebe snapped a little harshly.

Paige cast Phoebe a warning glance while Real Prue rolled her eyes. "No, I appreciate that. It's just that we'll be fine." Real Prue assured them.

"You don't know that. The warehouse was a trap. How do you know his house isn't just as dangerous?" Piper challenged.

"The Statler's don't seem like the white picket fence type." Phoebe agreed.

"Well, it's our only option." Real Prue argued stubbornly.

Piper shook her head and slipped down on the bed next to Prue. "No, it isn't. Why go to him when you're stronger in your own home with us?"

"And wait for Gabriel to find us? I don't think so." Prue snapped.

"He's a strategist, Prue." Phoebe returned just as sharply. "Every move he has made has been perfectly planned and calculated. He's studied you." She added.

Piper nodded quickly and jumped on with Phoebe's thought. "And if he's learned anything about you it's how protective you are. He knows you'll risk yourself for others. Especially your sisters."

"It's exactly what he wants. You'll only think you have the upper hand." Phoebe finished. She sighed noting Prue's continued hesitance and she turned back to the unusually silent Paige. "Paige? Help us out." She ordered lightly.

Paige bit her lip slightly and allowed her gaze to meet Prue's. "Look, Prue, Piper was right from the beginning. We should have relied on each other not ourselves to solve our problems and I know you know that too." Prue dropped her gaze thoughtfully and Paige took a few steps toward her. "Maybe if I had allowed help from you guys to begin with we wouldn't have Alex as a problem right now…" Paige cast Phoebe an apologetic glance with Phoebe offered a faint smile in return. "… But I know we can handle Gabriel. You just have to let us."

Phoebe nodded despite Prue not even looking in her direction. "For just a moment don't think of us as sisters you have to protect, but sisters that can help you defend." She suggested softly.

Real Prue sighed and reluctantly nodded. "You guys are right. You're right about Gabriel too. It's far too dangerous…" She admitted. Outside the door 'Blue Prue' narrowed her eyes at Real Prue's decision. With a look of determination, 'Blue Prue' headed quietly for the stairs. "Okay, I need to… we needed to come up with another plan. So, you guys have to tell the other me. You might be having this conversation all over again." She warned with a half-smile.

"I'm not talking to that clone." Piper stated stubbornly.

"You have to." Real Prue laughed, running a hand through her hair.

Phoebe glanced thoughtfully at the door. "Did anybody take notes?" She wondered, her eyes flickering to Paige.

Paige shook her head and opened the door, leading the way out.

"I'm not talking to that clone." Piper insisted as they entered the hall.

"Prue?" Paige called, looking up and down the empty hallway.

"She's gone…" Piper observed.

Real Prue sighed loudly. "Gabriel Statler's Estate." She realized.

"It's exactly what you'd have done, isn't it?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, she went to save all of us. Alright, we have to stop her before she does something." Real Prue decided, taking off for the stairs.

Paige followed quickly behind. "Do you want me to orb there and get her?" She suggested.

"No, we should stay together." Piper disagreed, receiving the slightest of nods from Paige as they pulled open the doors to Piper's van.

~PO4~

Gabriel Statler's Estate

Helena Statler was standing in the middle of an open iron maiden case with 'Blue Prue' behind it, out of sight from anyone in the doorway. "Gabriel, Gabriel, Gabriel…" Helena cried out pleadingly for her brother.

Gabriel, hearing her, came to the room and froze in the doorway as he realized what was happening. "My god, Helena…" He whispered, quickly approaching her.

'Blue Prue' jumped from her hiding spot and held her hand out to Gabriel as he drew his sword against her. "Nuh uh. This in war terms is what I believe they call a reversal of fortune…" She warned and Gabriel immediately stopped his advance. 'Blue Prue' narrowed her eyes at the iron maiden case and it closed about an inch around Helena before turning back to Gabriel. "I'll make it easy for you. Your sword for your sister."

Gabriel shrugged with a faint smile as he relaxed his stance. "Done." He agreed. "There's only one problem. You're not the real Prue Halliwell. Any woman smart enough to clone herself wouldn't make the mistake of confronting me here. So, tell me, how many of you are there?" He asked. A silence fell between them. "So you're the last clone." Gabriel realized, nodding to himself. "Let my sister go and I'll promise to make it quick and painless for you and the real Prue." He proposed.

'Blue Prue' squinted again at the case and it closed around Helena a little more. "Don't make me do this… your sword for your sister please." She ordered defiantly.

Gabriel glanced at Helena before throwing his sword at her, quickly killing his sister while 'Blue Prue' jumped away in surprise. He held his hand out and the sword came back to him. "Who has the reversal of fortune now?" Gabriel asked rhetorically, advancing on 'Blue Prue' with his sword leading the way.

~PO4~

"Ah…" Prue cried out in pain from the passenger seat of Piper's van. Piper glanced away from the road in worry while Phoebe and Paige unbuckled and leaned toward Prue.

"Are you alright?" Piper asked gently.

Paige rolled her eyes and took Prue's hand that wasn't being curled around her stomach against the pain. "Of course she's not alright." Paige snapped, rubbing soothing circles on the back of Prue's hand.

"What's going on?" Phoebe demanded, lightly elbowing Paige in the side.

Tears fell from Prue's eyes and Phoebe gently stroked her hair from behind. "He's killing her…" Prue whispered, her breathing labored. "Oh god, I can feel the sword. I can't breathe…" She closed her eyes against it and the only sound was her ragged breathing for several moments. "It's over. She's gone."

"Turn around." Paige mumbled to Piper who nodded and obediently turned the car back to the Manor.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Okay, now would be a good time for Plan B." Piper remarked casually, now seated in the conservatory as they had been no too earlier.

"What about the evidence that Andy talked about?" Phoebe suggested. "The trail of blood leading from the ravine where they found the first Prue…" She elaborated for their benefit.

Piper shrugged not seeing the significance. "We can't assume it's Gabriel's. They book says he's invulnerable." Piper countered.

"To the weapons of man." Phoebe agreed pointedly.

Paige appeared thoughtful as she glanced over at Phoebe. "Yeah, that wouldn't include a soul-sucking crystal sword I don't think."

"Right, but I've already proven that you can't take his sword away from him." Prue argued.

Phoebe smirked mischievously. "Why do we have to take it away? Maybe we should try to bring Gabriel and his sword even closer…" She suggested.

Paige grinned playfully. "Wow, that might actually work." Phoebe glared playfully in return while Prue was nodding slightly.

"Pheebs, you are so smart." Prue complimented, hugging both Phoebe and Paige next to her… mostly Phoebe.

Phoebe laughed, but trailed off as she was pulled into a premonition.

Gabriel tossed a flash bomb at Prue in the Solarium and jumped through one of the windows. He pulled out his sword and advanced on the eldest Halliwell.

The premonition ended and Phoebe saw her sisters staring at her patiently. "Uh, speaking of getting closer, I think Gabriel's on his way here." She warned. The four sisters exchanged glances before standing up and preparing for the upcoming fight.

~PO4~

The Coroner's Office

Andy paced around the coroner's office, his eyes frequently flickering back to look over 'Pink Prue's' body and trying to piece together what was going on. He looked down at the file in his hand and turned to the coroner. "And these fingerprints are cross-referenced?" He asked, just to make sure. There had to be a problem… this couldn't be Prue. How could it?

The Coroner sighed and crossed his arms in frustration. "Okay, I fingerprinted Jane Doe myself and the reference prints you asked for Prudence Halliwell came out of her birth certificate from the archives which I took the liberty of verifying through her DNV records." The Coroner assured him.

Andy once again looked down at the fingerprints. "And Prue Halliwell's prints are an identical match to Jane Doe's?" Andy questioned.

"Down to the last whirl." The coroner answered confidently.

Andy shook his head and looked away. "That's statistically impossible. Even identical twins have a natural variation." He argued.

"Then I'd get on the horn to Ripley's Believe it or Not because as far as forensic medicine can tell, this woman is Prue Halliwell." The coroner returned at a loss.

Andy glanced over his shoulder back at Prue's body on the slab, silent for several moments as he tried to decide what to do. He finally turned back to the coroner. "You leave Ripley's out of the loop, along with anyone else who isn't me." Andy ordered, thrusting the files back into the coroner's hands and walking out.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Prue walked slowly back and forth the solarium, her eyes scouring the area for any sign of Gabriel. She spun around, putting on sunglasses, when the lights flickered and died around her. A window broke and a flash bomb rolled to the floor in front of her. It exploded and Prue fell to the floor just as Gabriel jumped through one of the windows and drew his sword. Prue turned around to face him.

"Clever witch…" Gabriel allowed, noting the sunglasses. He started to advance, but Prue was already on her feet and running to the next room. He ran after her, but she was already gone. Gabriel slowly paced around the room, his eyes focusing on the faint outline of a person. He tossed his sword only to impale Slam-Man, who flickered, made some noises, and ultimately died.

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige jumped up from behind the couch, Piper throwing her hands out to freeze Gabriel. "Hey, check out GI Joe." Piper quipped.

Phoebe raced around the couch and kicked Gabriel hard enough that he fell back into the wall and hit the ground. Phoebe smiled triumphantly while Paige held her hand out.

"Sword." Paige called and it orbed to her hand. She followed Piper and Prue out to stand next to Phoebe.

Gabriel reached his hand out for his sword. "My weapon." He ordered irritably.

"It's all yours." Prue allowed, narrowing her eyes at the sword in Paige's hand. It flew from the youngest Halliwell's grip and impaled Gabriel against the wall. The sword glowed as it sucked Gabriel inside and then exploded. The lights flickered on and the sisters exchanged glances with each other.

"Peace at last." Piper laughed.

Prue laughed also and turned a playful glare on Phoebe. "Well, too bad you didn't knock him back into the statue." She joked.

Phoebe frowned and stared at Prue in mock horror. "I thought Paige was supposed to orb him into it." She feigned ignorance.

Paige lightly hit Phoebe on the arm. "Liar." Paige accused.

They were interrupted by the door bell ringing. "That's his army!" Prue announced going to answer it. Seeing the looks of horror on her sisters' faces she jumped to console. "Just kidding, kidding." She pulled the door open to find Andy on the other side. "Andy, it's four in the morning…" Prue stated in surprise.

"This isn't a social call, Prue. I need you to come with me." Andy explained, glancing over her shoulder to note Piper, Phoebe, and Paige looking as awake as Prue was now at four in the morning.

"Where to?" Prue asked with dread.

"City morgue. I'll drive." Andy answered. Prue turned away to grab her jacket and exchanged a nervous glance with her sisters as she followed him out the door.

~PO4~

Coroner's Office

Andy irritably pushed the doors open and led the way into the morgue with Prue shuffling along behind him. "Are you gonna tell me what this is all about because you have said a word since we got into the car." Prue questioned, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"I'll show you what this is all about." Andy snapped, pulling out the slab that had 'Pink Prue's' body on it. In his haste he didn't even glance at it but turned pointedly for Prue's reaction.

Prue had to work to hide her relief when she saw it. Just clothes… Her clothes, but just clothes. No body. She pulled the slab farther out and glanced at Andy in false confusion. "I don't get it." She stated.

Andy spun around to see what she 'didn't get' and froze in surprise before he angrily slammed his hand down on the slab as once again he was going to be lost answers. "I had a body on this slab. It was identical to you, right down to your fingerprints."

"Andy, I don't know what you want me to say." Prue replied, pushing the slab away from her.

Andy laughed mirthlessly and leaned against the piece of metal while running a hand through his hair in frustration. "You know, ever since you came back into my life it's been one weird coincidence after another and you don't know what to say." He returned.

"Why don't you tell me what you want to hear." Prue suggested. Silence fell between them as Andy thought it over, but instead sighed in defeat. Prue looked slightly disappointed at his answer or lack thereof of one. "Andy, I'm sorry, but there's nothing but clothes on that slab so why don't you just take me home." She turned to leave and wait by Andy's car until he came out.

Andy turned and pushed the slab back in before following after her.

~PO4~

Quake

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were sitting around one of the tables when Prue joined them with a large gift basket that she sat next to her. Phoebe was reading a newspaper with Paige looked over her shoulder and Piper was filling out some papers on a clipboard.

"Curiously, the only item found next to the slain body of Helena Statler was a blue sweater." Phoebe read with soft laugh.

"That's a shame because I kinda liked that sweater." Prue lamented while Paige laughed.

"Maybe I'll get you a new one." Paige offered earning a smile from Prue.

Phoebe's eyes flickered over the gift basket next to Prue. "What's with the gift basket?" She wondered curiously.

Prue glanced over it with a slight frown. "Oh, it's for my assistant. Believe me, she earned it." Prue explained.

The three Halliwells turned to Piper as she spoke. "Tumbler 345, 46, and 47. And that ladies is the end of Quake's yearly inventory." Piper announced loudly.

"And the end of crowded bathrooms, the end of no hot water, and the end of three Prues hogging all the good clothes." Phoebe added with a playful glare at Prue.

"Not to mention the three Paiges stealing the book and going off on a demon hunt." Piper followed with a smirk at Paige.

Prue smirked and exchanged a look with Paige. "You know, one day you guys might actually hear what you sound like when you say things like that."

"And I will find myself sassy and delightful." Phoebe replied with a grin.

"Doubtful." Paige returned, raising her eyebrows in a challenge.

Prue picked up her drink and the other sisters followed. "Alright, to me, myself, and I, and to you guys. I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you."

"Ditto." Paige agreed. "Should have listened to you before." She added, glancing at Piper, who nodded in acknowledgement.

They clicked their drinks and Phoebe suddenly spoke up. "And to me for kicking some serious demon butt."

"And the clones who vanished without a trace." Prue tacked on.

"Ooh, poor Andy." Paige mumbled sympathetically.

"Do you think he'll ever figure it out?" Piper wondered curiously.

Prue appeared thoughtful for several moments. "I don't know but, uh, I wouldn't underestimate him. After what happened this morning we're gonna have to be extra careful." Prue decided.

Piper nodded in agreement. "Yeah and tackle Paige's warlock ex-boyfriend… how are we gonna do that?"

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Andy pulled out the file on his desk labeled 'Halliwell, Prudence.' He pulled out the confidential files that he had put together and flipped through them until he found the one labeled 'Black Magic and Witchcraft.' Andy stared at it for a moment before adding the fingerprirints and concert tickets to the back of the file and closing it inside his drawer. He leaned back into his chair, planning how to figure out what the sisters were up to for certain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to put the 3 Paige at the beginning in case people thought is was a spoiler or something. Anyways, it probably would have been much less interesting without that little detail to change the episode up because hardly nothing would have been different.


	33. That 70's Episode (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, another episode down! I know several of you were really looking forward to this so I hope it doesn't disappoint

That 70's Episode

 

The Halliwell Manor

Prue flipped through the photo albums with Phoebe sitting next to her at one of the tables spread along the Solarium.

"There aren't any pictures of me growing up." Phoebe whined, causing Prue to look up from her stack of photos.

The older Halliwell sister smiled faintly. "That seems impossible. I mean, you weren't exactly camera shy." Prue joked as she flipped another page of the photo album.

Phoebe rolled her eyes good-naturedly and pulled out a small stack of pictures. "Yes, well neither were you and Piper, or you and Grams, or you and Dad… or look! Here's another one of you and Piper." Phoebe replied with a playful glare at Prue.

Paige came in at that moment in time to hear the end of the conversation. "If you think that's bad, Pheebs, I don't have any pictures here before the age of ten." She remarked casually, coming up to stand between the seated Prue and Phoebe.

"There is not a shortage of them after you moved in… especially of you and Prue. I've seen like six of them." Phoebe grumbled, pushing several pictures into Paige's hands.

"Oh, look at us, Prue!" Paige exclaimed, thrusting a picture of a fifteen-year-old Prue with a ten-year-old Paige on her shoulders trying to pick an apple off a tree that was just out of the sisters' reach. They had obviously stopped their attempt long enough to smile for the picture.

Prue laughed at the memory. "Wow, that must have been our annual trip to the fruit farm right have you moved in." She realized, smirking as Phoebe groaned dramatically and dropped her head into her arms. Prue and Paige exchanged a glance before Prue pushed a picture closer to Phoebe. "Okay, here's a picture of you and Grams." Prue announced after tapping Phoebe on the shoulder to get her attention.

Phoebe's head jerked up immediately. "Oh, wasn't I cute?" She stated as much as asked.

Paige pointed over Prue's shoulder at another picture that Prue quickly nodded in silent agreement before pushing it toward Phoebe. "Here's one of you and Mom." Prue added, watching Phoebe expectantly.

Phoebe's smile faded slightly but she looked eagerly down at the corresponding photo. It was of their mom reading a book to Phoebe. "Wow, I don't even remember that… What was I, about two?" Phoebe asked, receiving a nod from Prue. 

"She died on us a year later." She mumbled, quickly closing the album.

"Phoebe…" Prue began, but trailed off at a look from Paige. A tense silence fell between them for several moments until Piper came running into the Solarium.

"Okay, alright, I need a pen and paper." Piper exclaimed, heading straight for one of the drawers. She rolled her eyes when none of her sisters moved. "Quick we don't have a lot of time." She pressed struggling to open the drawer that was resisting.

Phoebe sighed and stood up from her chair, joining Piper next to the drawer. She hit the top of it twice and kicked the side once and the drawer popped open.

Piper's eyes narrowed at the drawer and then transferred to her departing younger sister. "I always wondered how you got in my candy drawer."

"Is there any candy still there?" Paige wondered curiously.

Piper reached in and pulled out a bag of lollipops. "Miss Paigey's lollipops." She answered, tossing one to her sister's reaching hands. "Anyways, I thought it would be easier for us if we just write him a note." Piper went on.

Paige paused in the process of opening her lollipop and glanced at Piper in confusion while Prue wore a similar expression. "Who him?" Prue asked.

"You know, what's his name." She replied as if it was common knowledge. Piper waved her hand for her sisters to follow as she led the way to the Foyer when the doorbell rang.

"Grandma's little friend, comes every year, same day, same time. Says, you know, the flowers are from a secret admirer, only it's obvious he's the admirer." Piper reminded them in short. She stopped in front of the door and Prue, Phoebe, and Paige took up their normal positions around Piper ready to greet him. When they were ready, Piper opened the door to find the older man on the other side of the door. "Hi, come on in." Piper allowed, opening the door invitingly as the clock began to chime. "How are you?"

"Flowers for Miss Penny Halliwell." The man offered a vase of roses. As he started to hand them to Piper, they dropped from his hands.

Piper hastily threw her hands out to freeze everything before the vase crashed into the ground and shattered. She turned irritably back to her sisters. "Every year, what a klutz!"

She muttered, turning back and taking the flowers in her hands. "At least this year I can freeze him and spare myself the clean-up." Piper exclaimed.

"Why did you want to write him a note?" Phoebe questioned curiously.

Piper bit her lip slightly. "To tell him Grams is dead…" She mumbled.

Paige flinched. "Ouch… the poor guy."

"You're going to break his heart." Prue agreed, glancing at him sympathetically.

At that moment the room unfroze and the man looked around him knowingly. "Five chimes." He stated suddenly.

The sisters exchanged confused glances. "Excuse me?" Piper prompted, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"The clock, I only heard five chimes. It's noon. That means you froze me. Which means you have your powers at last." He explained.

Piper's mouth dropped and she carefully sat the flowers down on the nearest side table and backed away to join her sisters. "Uh, I don't know what you're talking about, Mister, but thanks for the flowers. Bye." Piper replied. All four sisters backed several steps away.

"Call me Nicholas. Your mother did." He suggested sharply, taking a ring from his pocket and slipping it onto his finger. Nicholas de-aged in front of their eyes. "I had to appear to age over the years otherwise you would've been suspicious." He responded to their stunned looks.

"What?" Prue demanded.

Nicholas smiled and his gaze shifted over Prue. "You see, twenty-one years ago today, your mother and I made a pact. To spare her life, she gave up your future powers to me. She blessed this ring…" He began, holding it up for them to see. "… Which gave me immunity to your powers." Piper quickly flicked her wrists, desperately trying to freeze him, but nothing happened. "… Immunity so that I could kill you and take the powers on for my own. To become invincible."

Prue squinted her eyes and sent a telekinetic blast in his direction, but nothing happened. "Our mother would never give away our powers." She argued stubbornly and tried again.

"She didn't have much of a choice." Nicholas replied, pointing his ring at Phoebe and Paige. "Your blood is boiling. Soon your lungs will sear." Phoebe and Paige shook momentarily before falling over in pain. He moved his hand so that it was now pointing at Prue and Piper. "Your organs will overheat and death will come." He finished. He grinned when Prue and Piper dropped to the ground in agony.

When he was focused on the elder two sisters, Phoebe snaked up and kicked him in the leg so that he fell to the ground and released them from his hold. Phoebe grabbed Paige's hand and Paige grabbed onto Prue who held onto Piper and they orbed up to the attic.

The orbs deposited the sisters in the middle of the attic. Prue broke from the group and stomped to the attic door, shutting it while the other three ran to the book and desperately flipped through the pages. "Why would Mom make a deal like that?" Prue questioned aloud.

"More importantly, what are we gonna do about it?" Piper corrected, her arms crossed and eyes narrowed at her frantically page-flipping sisters.

"Wait, Paige go back, I think I found a spell!" Phoebe announced and Paige obediently followed Phoebe's instructions.

"To unbind a bond." Paige read.

"You can't run from me!" Nicholas' voice sounded through the attic door followed by the creaking of the stairs as he undoubtedly ran up them.

Prue glanced nervously behind her. "Okay, we have no choice." Prue allowed.

"Hurry up." Piper agreed, waving her hand dramatically to speed things up.

"Okay…" Phoebe hissed narrowing her eyes in annoyance.

"The Bond which was not to be done  
Give us the power to see it undone  
And turn back time to whence it was begun"

Phoebe chanted. The four sisters were surrounded by white orbs and they disappeared, reappearing in the same spot in front of the book.

Paige frowned as she looked around them. "Um… did we screw it up?"

"Nothing happened…" Prue agreed, biting her lip slightly.

They all spun around as a phone began to ring downstairs. They hesitantly walked to the attic door and Phoebe pulled it open so they could better hear the ring. "Whose phone is that?" Phoebe asked.

"Not ours…" Piper answered softly in confusion.

"Halliwell Residence." Someone's voice sounded from downstairs.

Piper glanced in Phoebe's direction. "You go." She ordered.

Phoebe immediately shook her head. "No, you go." She argued.

Their eyes turned toward Paige who pointed in Prue's direction. "She goes." Piper and Phoebe decided, pushing Prue out the attic door before she could respond.

~PO4~

Prue cast an irritated glance behind her as the attic door closed before she quietly treaded down the steps until she could see what was going on. Her eyes widened as she saw her grandmother on the phone.

"I beg your pardon? Well, Donna, I'm just hurt that you would suspect my little angels of such a thing." Grams spoke into the phone.

"Grams…?" Prue whispered to herself, trying to get a better view of her grandmother from this angle on the stairs.

Her jaw dropped as two young girls ran through the foyer. They could only have been herself and Piper. Prue guessed she was somewhere around four and Piper two or three.

"Prue. Uh, just a moment, Donna." Grams replied to the woman and then turned to the two girls that had stopped and were hovering at the far door. "Prue, Piper. Girls, don't run in the house." She ordered. Grams turned back to the phone and the little girls ran into the next room. "Yes. Yes…"

Prue quickly turned around and raced back up the stairs. She knocked on the door and dashed in the moment it was open, a stunned expression on her face. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige exchanged glances when Prue didn't immediately say anything.

"Well?" Paige prompted.

"What'd you see?" Piper demanded.

"The warlock?" Phoebe guessed nervously.

Prue slowly shook her head. "No… Us."

~PO4~

"How do we know we're back in time? What if we just brought the past to us accidently? We've done it before." Piper rambled as she paced back and forth around the attic.

Paige glanced over her shoulder at Piper. "When have we done that?" She asked. With no answer forthcoming from Piper, Paige looked to Phoebe who just shrugged as she kept flipping through the book to find a spell to take them back.

Prue was left to calm down Piper. "Piper, look around. What do you see?" Prue questioned with a faint smile.

Piper obediently allowed her eyes to flicker around the room. "A messy attic like always." She answered sharply.

"No, not like always." Prue disagreed. "We have a black light, a typewriter, eight track tapes, and a pet rock." She pointed out, waving her hand in the direction of each of the items. "I mean, we got rid of this stuff years ago, remember?"

"And you saw us? As kids?" Piper demanded in disbelief.

Prue gave the slightest of nods. "Yeah." She answered with a thoughtful expression.

Piper stared at her for several moments. "Prue! You're not in my head. Why are you not in my head?" Piper realized when she found she couldn't tap into Prue's thoughts to see for herself what the eldest Halliwell had seen.

Prue frowned as if she hadn't noticed until Piper pointed out. "That's great… I've no idea." She mumbled.

"This can't be happening. I'm getting a migraine!" Piper exclaimed, cradling her head in her hands.

"Well, wherever we are, I doubt Advil's been invented yet." Paige quipped with an innocent smile to Piper.

"And apparently neither has this spell. It's not in here anywhere." Phoebe added after having flipped through the entire book twice.

Piper's eyes widened. "But we just cast it. That's how we got back… here." She argued.

"Yeah, well, wherever here is, it's before the spell was written." Phoebe replied with a sigh.

Prue walked up to stand next to Piper. "So there's nothing in there about how to get back to our own time?" Prue pressed.

"Nothing." Phoebe answered, shutting the book a little harder than necessary.

Paige frowned down at the book before glancing at her sisters. "Well, it's official. Halliwell luck sucks." She announced.

Phoebe nodded vigorously in agreement. "Yes, may I just be the first to say that we're screwed." Phoebe agreed.

Prue immediately shook her head. "No." She disagreed. "Okay, at least we're alive. If we had stayed in our own time, Nicholas would have killed us. We barely got away as it was… is… will be…" Prue babbled, appearing confused. "You know, I've never been good at tenses." She admitted.

Paige snorted and glanced out the window. "So how are we gonna fix this?" She asked.

"Well, Grams is right downstairs. Maybe we should just go and tell her who we are." Prue suggested.

Phoebe laughed at the thought. "And say what? Hi, we're the ghosts of grandchildren future?" She joked. "Come on, even Grams is gonna have a little trouble with that." Phoebe reminded them.

"Plus, she has that heart condition." Piper added and Paige nodded quickly.

Prue sighed but nodded reluctantly in agreement. "Okay, fine, so we need another plan, but first we need to get out of the house." Prue decided.

"Agreed." Paige voted and the four sisters hesitantly moved back to the attic door.

~PO4~

Prue led the way to the edge of the stairs with Paige, Phoebe, and Piper right behind her. They stopped once they were in sight of Grams, still on the phone.

"You're talking too fast. Patty, sweetheart, slow down." Grams was saying into the phone.

"Patty?" Piper repeated.

Prue nodded. "Mom." She breathed, staring intently at the phone.

"What premonition? Patty, that's impossible, you don't have premonitions." Grams retorted.

Phoebe frowned and glanced in Prue's direction. "Wait, I thought you said Mom's power was to freeze time." She hissed, tilting her head in confusion.

"It is… I mean, was… Oh, you know what I mean." Prue returned softly.

"Maybe you should go see a doctor." Grams suggested.

Paige was about to say something to Prue and Phoebe when she noticed Piper picking up the upstairs phone to eavesdrop on the conversation. "Piper!" Paige whispered sharply in surprise. Prue and Phoebe immediately looked over at Piper before all three of them crowded around Piper and the phone to listen.

"I don't need to go to the doctor, Mom." Patty argued. "I need you to listen to what I'm saying." She insisted.

Piper carefully placed her hand over the speaker so her voice wouldn't carry to the other lines. "She's talking to Mom." Piper breathed.

"I can't explain it either, Mom. It just happened. I felt a twinge in my stomach and then Bam! I saw it. Warlocks, four of them and one of them was taking Prue." Patty explained hastily.

"You know… you've been really stressed lately…" Grams began.

"Do you think that's really Mom's voice?" Phoebe whispered excitedly.

Paige nodded eagerly. "Of course it is. There's only so many Patty's that would call Grams." She joked, earning a poke in the side from Phoebe.

"Are you still nauseous? Why don't you come home from Buddy's?" Grams continued.

"I can't and it was not a daydream." Patty insisted. They exchanged a few more words before they hung up.

Piper carefully followed and Prue waved her hand for her sisters to follow her as she heard Grams move away from the stairs. "Okay, let's get out of here." She decided. As they reached the bottom of the stairs they heard Grams' voice in another room.

The four sisters froze as little Prue walked after a running little Piper. Seeing that little Piper was getting away, little Prue narrowed her eyes at a kids-sized couch and it moved to block the doorway.

Little Piper turned to glare playfully back at little Prue. "No fair, using magic."

"Whoa!" Piper breathed as little Piper turned back to her sister.

Prue's mouth had dropped in disbelief. "Wait, we had powers back then?" She demanded, staring after the little girls.

"This is really freaky…" Phoebe remarked.

"Freaky? That is soo cute!" Paige exclaimed, trying to get a better look at the younger versions of her sisters.

Prue glared at Paige for her raised voice but curiosity getting the best of her, she led the way into the room where the little girls were in. Little Piper was standing next to little Prue in the Solarium when they came in. Two pairs of kids eyes flickered to the four sisters and little Prue stepped forward.

"Hey." Prue greeted, kneeling down so that she was level with her kid-self.

"Hi." Little Prue echoed, lightly touching Prue's freckle on her face.

Prue laughed softly. "You got one too." She whispered. "Come here." Prue invited eagerly, pulling her miniature self into a hug. Her smiled faded as she heard footsteps coming into the room.

"How many times have I told you girls…?" Grams began scolding but froze as she saw the sisters with little Prue in the arms of one of them.

Prue immediately let little Prue down and backed away. "Uh, Grams… we can explain."

Grams didn't wait for any explanations. She raised her hands at the sisters. "Warlocks, be gone!" She ordered and Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were thrown out of the house, landing heavily on the concrete stairs.

"Oh, god, let's go." Prue hissed as soon as the door had shut.

~PO4~

The Street

The sisters wasted no time in running out of sight of the Manor. "Grams really had her power down." Prue remarked, pulling Paige along after her with Phoebe and Piper following behind.

"She is one scary witch." Phoebe agreed.

"We're lucky all she did was throw us out of the house and not tried to vanquish us." Paige added, pulling back and slowing Prue down as they were farther down the street and were in no immediate danger of Grams coming to hunt them down.

Piper nodded and slowed down as well. "I don't remember having powers at that age, do you?" She asked, directing the question to Prue.

"No, I thought we got them for the first time last year." Prue replied with the slightest of shrugs.

Piper sighed and glanced back behind her to the Manor. "Apparently not. We must have lost them before we could even remember having them." She guessed.

Paige frowned slightly appearing unconvinced. "I think it's more likely she erased your memories or something." She offered, earning narrow-eyed looks from her sisters. "What? I just think it sounds like something she'd do." Paige defended.

Prue smiled softly, unable to truly disagree. "Well, whatever happened, how weird was that? Seeing us as kids?" Prue inquired with a hint of excitement. "Totally bizarre." She answered herself.

Phoebe had walked up to the end of a neighbor's driveway and picked up their newspaper. Her eyes quickly scanned for the date which she found at the top. "Mom is barely pregnant with me." Phoebe announced after a quick mental calculation. "Here, March 24, 1978."

"That's the day Mom made the pact with Nicholas." Piper realized.

"So maybe that's why the spell sent us back here. To stop the pact." Prue suggested.

"Which means it may be the only way for us to get back to our time." Piper added.

Paige nodded in agreement. "In order to do that, I think we're going to have to talk to Mom. Warn her about Nicholas or something." Paige offered.

"Yeah, but we have to do a better job at convincing Mom than we did Grams. This time we have to use our powers." Prue decided, glancing at her sisters for approval.

Piper frowned as she remembered the conversation their mother had had with Grams. "The only problem is she's on the lookout for four warlocks now." She reminded them.

Prue bit her lip nervously. "Uh, so then, maybe not all of us should approach her. Just in case." She suggested with an uncertain look at her sisters.

"Well, since I don't have any powers to show Mom, I think you three should go." Phoebe replied. "I'll just stand outside and watch for Nicholas." She concluded with a shrug.

Piper exchanged a glance with Prue before looking back at Phoebe. "That doesn't seem fair to you, Phoebe, not being able to see Mom."

"I know, it's not, but I got over that a long time ago. I don't need to see her now." Phoebe assured them. Prue narrowed her eyes in concern and Phoebe forced a smile for her eldest sister. "Really, it's okay." She continued. When no one said anything she hastily sought to change the subject. "We better get going, though, before we miss her." She pointed out.

Slowly, Prue, Piper, and Paige agreed and followed Phoebe to the part of town that housed the popular restaurant, Buddy's.

~PO4~

Buddy's

While Phoebe waited outside Buddy's, entertaining herself by checking out the movie theatre across the street, Prue, Piper and Paige walked into the restaurant. Prue froze in the doorway, forcing Piper and Paige to follow suit or they would have run into her. Prue's eyes quickly scanned over the restaurant. "Whoa, scary. Buddy's has not changed a bit." She realized in surprise. She blinked quickly, appearing confused as she thought about what she had said. "Err… wouldn't… didn't…?"

Paige gently pushed her in the direction of a booth, getting rather tired of standing in front of the door. "Won't have." She offered with an innocent smile.

Piper ignored her other two sisters as her eyes scanned the restaurant, though she was looking more for her mother. "I don't see Mom anywhere, do you?" Piper asked, sliding in next to Prue.

"No." Prue replied, taking up a menu more for looks than for any other reason.

Paige, who was sitting on Piper's other side, was the first to look up and see Patty come from the back. Recognizing her from pictures she had seen, Paige eagerly elbowed Piper in the side. She nodded in Patty's direction in response to Piper's glare.

Piper's eyes widened. "Prue." She breathed, trying to get her eldest sister's attention.

Prue glanced up at them curiously and followed their subtle, yet frantic nodding in Patty's direction. "Mom…" Prue whispered.

"She's so beautiful." Piper remarked.

"Yeah, she is." Prue agreed.

Paige was silent as she tried to get a better view of Patty around all the customers. She smiled and looked back at Piper. "You look just like her, Piper!" She exclaimed in which Piper smiled and Prue laughed softly.

"I don't remember her working here." Piper admitted looking thoughtfully after their mother as she sat a couple of drinks down at the table in front of them.

"Yeah, with Dad gone she had to pay the bills somehow. I remember she used to come home late at night and she'd kiss me and she always smelled like hamburgers." Prue reminisced a little wistfully.

Piper's smile widened before she finally tore her eyes away from her mother and allowed them to flicker to her big sister. "You're lucky. You have a lot more memories than I do."

"Well, at least you have some. I mean Phoebe hardly has any and Paige… doesn't." Prue pointed out with an apologetic glance in Paige's direction in case it was a touchy subject.

Paige offered a smile of assurance. "I think it hurts Phoebe more. Hers are almost a tease. I mean, it's hard to really miss something you never had and my parents were… well, they were great." She replied with a shrug. "Did that make any sense?" Paige wondered.

"Yeah, actually, it did." Piper laughed.

"Oh, here she comes." Prue announced, lightly tapping Piper's arm.

Piper looked a little nervously in Patty's direction. "What do we do if she recognizes us?" Piper demanded.

"Well, you freeze the place and when she sees that we don't freeze either, she'll believe us when we tell her who we are." Prue decided.

Paige nodded eagerly. "Alright, we can do this."

Piper also nodded quickly as she threw her hair over her shoulder and subconsciously pulled at the sleeves of her sweater. "Okay, how do I look?" She asked.

"Great." Prue assured.

Patty had just stopped at their booth. "Ready to order?" She questioned, pulling out the notepad to take their order on. Prue and Piper just stared, overwhelmed at the sight of their mother, while Paige glanced between her sisters and Patty trying to figure out what they were doing as she had assumed one of them would have done the talking. Patty hesitated, guessing that they weren't quite ready. "Take your time. I'll come back." Patty allowed, beginning to turn away.

"No, we're ready." Paige stopped her while giving her sisters a glare and pointedly elbowing Piper in the side.

"Yeah, aren't we, Prue?" Piper jumped in, taking the hint.

Prue's eyes widened and hastily tried to cover before Patty could think about hearing her name too much. "Ah, prunes." She covered, glancing at Piper who bit her lip nervously.

"Uh, prunes… She wants to know if you have any prunes." Paige snorted and quickly ducked her head as Prue glared at her.

Patty's eyes flickered to Paige before moving back to Prue. "Prunes, sure. Yeah, I think so. I just started here. I'll go check." She offered, beginning to turn away again.

"No!" Prue yelled, stunning Patty into stopping. She bit her lip as Paige dropped her head into her arms in an attempt to stifle her laughter at her two eldest sisters. "Uh, she can order something else." Prue explained.

Piper, picking up the hint, grabbed the menu and quickly flipped through the pages.

Patty waited patiently, eyeing Prue rather curiously. "Have we met before? I mean, you look familiar."

Prue smiled faintly. "Yeah, so do you." She answered. "Now." Prue ordered under her breath to Piper.

Piper immediately dropped her menu and flicked her wrists to activate her freezing power. Nothing happened so she tried again, more noticeably. Patty stared at her for several moments while Prue's eyes widened and Paige stopped laughing to stare at Piper as well.

"What's the matter?" Prue whispered, trying to appear casual.

"It's not working. You try…" Piper hissed back.

Prue lowered her gaze to the glass of water on the table in front of her and squinted, willing it to move. Nothing happened despite several attempts. Prue glanced helplessly back toward Paige.

"Salt…" Paige called under her breath, holding her hand out where the table salt should have orbed to.

"Okay, how is that possible?" Prue muttered.

Patty was watching them suspiciously now and only looked away when one of the waitresses called "Patty, phone."

"Oh, okay thanks." Patty called over her shoulder, though her eyes never left the three sisters. "Uh, I'll be right back." She said to them, starting to turn away, though somewhat reluctantly.

"Wait, we know you're pregnant!" Piper yelled after her in desperation. Prue and Paige cast looks of disbelief at Piper, who suddenly realized that may not have been the best approach.

Patty stopped short and quickly walked back to the table. "What?" She demanded.

Piper laughed nervously. "This is going to sound really weird, but we're actually your…"

"Cousins." Prue interrupted. "Cousins from out of town." She elaborated, thinking that bashing her head into the table may not be too bad an idea right now.

"Right, cousins." Paige agreed with a grin. She was thoroughly enjoying herself.

Piper just nodded awkwardly before continuing where she had been interrupted. "And we need to tell you something very important about the baby that you're carrying… sorta." She explained.

Patty hastily rolled her notebook up and dropped it in the pocket of her uniform. "Not that this is any of your business but I can't get pregnant anymore. Medically impossible."

Patty replied sharply. "Excuse me." She added, turning away and actually making it away from the table this time.

Piper stared after her dumbfounded. "I panicked." She admitted. "I thought, you know, close family would know that she's pregnant."

"Yes, well, not only does she not know that she's pregnant, she doesn't even think that she can get pregnant." Prue responded.

"Well, she's in for a couple more big surprises." Paige commented.

Piper shook her head to try and clear her thoughts to something more important. "Okay, well, we have bigger problems. We have no powers which means we have no way of stopping Nicholas." She reminded them.

"Yeah, how do we not have powers?" Prue exclaimed. "I mean, little Prue and little Piper, they have powers."

Piper shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe only one set of us can have powers at the same time, in the same time." She suggested.

Prue nodded with a sarcastic look of interest. "Thank you, Mr. Spock." She gratified.

"At least that explains why your telepathy doesn't work. Too bad we didn't take that into consideration. Mom probably thinks we're insane and won't come back out now." Paige mumbled, resting her chin in her hand. This was going to be a very long day.

~PO4~

"I was working Mother, that's why I couldn't take your call." Patty explained into the phone that was in the kitchen.

On the other end, Grams rolled her eyes at the excuse, but didn't press it. "That premonition that you said you had. Did you see what the warlocks looked like?" Grams demanded, getting right to the subject.

Patty frowned in confusion and tried to remember the vision. "The warlocks? No, I didn't see their faces." She admitted after a moment. "Why?" She asked curiously.

"I'll tell you why. Because I saw them. All four of them. Here, and one of them had a hold of Prudence." Grams answered with a hint of anger.

"Are the girls okay?" Patty questioned demandingly.

"For now, thanks to me." Grams replied.

Patty nodded and quickly grabbed her purse from the small table next to her. "I'm coming right home." She announced before hanging up. She cast one last glance back at the table where Prue, Piper, and Paige were chatting and went out the back door. Patty pulled her purse around and searched for the keys amidst everything else. She accidently ran into Phoebe, who was staring back at the window of the restaurant. "Oh!" Patty exclaimed, dropping her stuff.  
Phoebe jumped back in surprise. "Oh, sorry!" She apologized, bending down to help pick the stuff up.

"I'm so sorry." Patty apologized in return.

"Oh, no, it's totally my fault." Phoebe argued, freezing when she actually looked at Patty for the first time and recognized who she was.

Patty smiled and took something from Phoebe's hands. "I'm such a klutz sometimes." She admitted.

Phoebe returned the smile. "Really? So am I."

"Yeah?" Patty laughed.

Phoebe suddenly realized how very strange she was acting and dropped her gaze back to the contents of Patty's purse that still littered the ground. "Yeah…" She mumbled distantly, reaching out for a pack of crackers. "Crackers?" Phoebe asked.

Patty nodded slightly. "Upset stomach." She explained, taking them.

Phoebe's eyes flickered to land on a cigarette packet. "Uh, you know, you shouldn't be smoking these now." She began, pausing at the weird look Patty sent her. "It's bad for your upset stomach." Phoebe elaborated hastily.

"You're very sweet." Patty complimented, standing back up now that she had re-acquired all her stuff. "Thanks, I gotta go."

"So soon?" Phoebe questioned before she could stop herself.

Patty turned back to her curiously. "Excuse me?" She inquired.

Before Phoebe could cover, an officer stopped next to them. "Is everything all right?" The officer demanded professionally.

"Yeah, thanks officer." Patty answered.

Phoebe spun around to see who the voice belonged to and her eyes widened when she recognized him. "Oh my God, Nicholas." She breathed, unconsciously stepping away toward Patty.

"I'm late. Thanks again." Patty gratified to Phoebe before walking off to her car.

Nicholas turned to follow her, but Phoebe jumped in his way. "Excuse me, how do you get to Berkeley?" She questioned in an attempt to buy Patty more time.

Nicholas glared and pushed her away. "Get out of my way." He snapped, making his way to his car, presumably to follow Patty.

Before he could get his keys to unlock his car door, Phoebe stepped forward and kicked his hand so that he dropped his keys. She picked them up and threw them across the road before bolting into Buddy's for her sisters.

"Phoebe, what are you doing?" Prue asked as she caught sight of the younger Halliwell.

Phoebe's head snapped around and she ran toward them, motioning for them to hurry up. "Nicholas is here." She hissed.

"What? Where?" Piper demanded, her eyes scouring the area.

"Time to go." Paige decided, sliding out of the booth with Piper and Prue following. Phoebe led the way through the many people and out the back door. They had just disappeared when an angry Nicholas pushed into Buddy's looking for them.

~PO4~

The Street

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige walked down the street nearby the Manor trying to figure out how to make their next move.

"Was Nicholas wearing his ring?" Piper wondered to Phoebe.

Phoebe tried to think back to their short encounter. "I don't know. I don't think so." She finally answered.

"It was a good thing you were there, Pheebs. That was probably when he was going to make his move on Mom." Piper went on thoughtfully.

"No, I don't think so, otherwise we would be back in our own time by now." Prue argued lightly.

Paige shrugged and glanced over at Phoebe, who was unusually silent. "You okay?" She asked gently.

"Yeah." Phoebe assured before dropping her gaze as Prue and Piper also looked at her. "Uh, just seeing Mom and talking to her, I just didn't expect to feel so…"

"Feel what? Good?" Prue suggested.

Phoebe shook her head slowly. "No, overwhelmed." She corrected.

Paige wrapped her arm around Phoebe's shoulder and whispered something into her older sister's ear that had Phoebe giggling softly again. Paige seemed pleased with her accomplishment while Piper and Prue exchanged a glance.

"Well, Mom's car is here. At least we know where she is." Piper remarked casually.

"Yeah, but the question is how do we get to her? Grams must have told her about us by now. She probably thinks that we're the warlocks." Prue pointed out.

"Oh, I think she definitely thinks we're the warlocks." Paige countered.

Piper nodded in acknowledgement to Paige. "The problem remains. Our only option is to wait until Nicholas shows, but what are we going to do without our powers?"

Phoebe looked thoughtfully at the Manor that was across the street from them. "Well, technically you still have your powers. If you count little Prue and little Piper." She realized, a small smile forming on her face. "We need powers and they have them. Come on." Phoebe ordered. Paige eagerly followed behind her while Prue had to practically drag a very wary Piper to the Manor.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

They snuck in through the back door that led into the kitchen. Phoebe looked carefully around the kitchen in search of anyone but found it empty. "Coast is clear." She called behind her, waving for them to follow.

"What if Grams catches us?" Piper asked worriedly.

"She'll kill us before Nicholas has the chance." Prue answered grimly as they slipped into the Foyer.

Phoebe exchanged a knowing look with Paige. "You wanna do the honors, Paige?" Phoebe questioned with a smirk. Paige grinned but declined. Phoebe shrugged and knelt down next to the heating duct. "She won't catch us. Observe." Phoebe announced, opening the heating duct up.

"You said the girls were safe with you. Besides, I want to go." Patty's voice drifted from upstairs.

"You are making a big mistake, Patty. Victor is not coming back." Grams argued as she watched her daughter try and pick out which clothes to wear.

Prue narrowed her eyes but appeared impressed. "How did you…?"

"Heating duct to upstairs. Paige and I used to listen to you guys for hours. Especially when you used to sneak Andy up to your bedroom in high school." Phoebe explained teasingly.

Prue's eyes narrowed, this time in annoyance and she lightly smacked Paige, who was nearest, on the arm.

"Ooh!" Paige squeaked in surprise.

"Shh!" Phoebe hissed.

Piper grabbed Prue's arm and pointed to her wrist indicating that they didn't have a lot of time. Prue sighed and nodded. "Fine, you two keep tabs on them. We're going to try and find the little girls." She ordered, following Piper into the next room.

~PO4~

"That's my doll!" Little Prue yelled, trying to pull the toy from her younger sister's hands.

Little Piper stubbornly held on and tugged back. "You gave it to me!" She argued.

"No, I didn't. You stole it." Little Prue accused.

Prue smiled and nodded to herself as she and Piper came around the corner of the room. "That's true, you did steal it." Prue agreed with her miniature version.

"I did not." Piper snapped.

"Yes, you did." Prue returned before shushing at her sister. As they came into the room they saw little Prue narrow her eyes at the doll and telekinetically pulled the toy from her younger sister's hands.

Piper couldn't resist but to speak up for her little self. "Hey, that's not fair!" She scolded to little Prue.

The two kids turned to meet Prue and Piper. Little Prue smiled as she hugged the doll to her. "You came back." Little Prue exclaimed.

Prue nodded and kneeled down in front of little Prue while Piper approached her miniature self. "Yes, we did, and we're gonna keep it a secret, okay?" She prompted gently.

Little Prue nodded eagerly. "Okay." She agreed.

"Okay." Prue laughed.

"You're pretty." Little Prue complimented a little shyly.

Prue smiled wider and pushed little Prue's hair away from her face. "Oh, so are you."

Piper rolled her eyes at the Prues. "Oh, give me a break." She muttered.

"Grams said you're bad people." Little Piper spoke up, crossing her arms in an act of suspicion.

"Oh, no, no, no. We're good people. We're, uh, just like you." Piper assured with a glance at Prue for help.

"Yeah, we're family." Prue elaborated and little Piper smiled faintly.

~PO4~

"Victor sent me a note. He asked me to stop by his hotel after my shift." Patty explained to Grams.

Phoebe listened closer at the mention of her father. "Dad?" She mumbled, a little surprised.

Paige bit her lip to stop herself from asking when Patty met her father. She made a mental note to ask Prue later as she took the topic of Paige's father much better than Piper or Phoebe.

"You know it was doomed from the start. You never even took his last name." Grams argued.

Patty glanced away from her closet and to her mother. "You wouldn't let me." She countered with a half-smile.

Grams shrugged helplessly. "That's beside the point." She replied stubbornly in her typical Grams fashion. "Why can't you just wear your uniform to see him?" She suggested.

"Because I don't want him to know that I'm a waitress." Patty answered as if that made perfect sense. She thrust her chosen outfit in Grams' hands and returned to put her other clothes back up. "Look, it can't hurt to talk, right?"

"Well, let him go I say. If husbands were meant to stay married, God would have made them live longer." Grams remarked offhandedly.

Patty gave her mother a hard, yet amused stare. "Mother…" She scolded lightly.

Paige snorted while Phoebe laughed softly. "Grams." Phoebe and Paige giggled at the same time.

~PO4~

Little Prue had now stepped slightly in front of little Piper with her arms crossed, almost protectively in front of her little sister. "We're not supposed to go places with strangers." Little Prue stated.

Prue nodded in understanding. "Yeah, but we're not strangers, Prue. You're safe with us and I know that you know in your heart that you can trust us." Prue replied gently. Little Prue seemed to think it over for a moment before nodding in agreement.

"If you're really family then prove it." Little Piper challenged.

"Prove it? How the hell are we supposed to do that?" Piper snapped, turning on Prue.

"Piper!" Prue scolded as the curse word left the other Halliwell's mouth.

Little Piper turned eagerly to her older self. "Piper. Your name's Piper too?" She asked with wide-eyed wonder.

Piper glanced away from Prue and back to little Piper. "Yeah and, uh, not only do we have the same name, but we have the same secrets." Piper walked over to the candy drawer and knocked the top twice before kicking the side and the drawer popped open. Little Piper's mouth dropped.

Prue smiled, recognizing that they had won them over. "Okay, follow me." She called. She stopped when little Andy ran in.

Little Andy, dressed in a cowboy outfit complete with two toy guns, pointed his guns at the younger sisters. "Freeze!" He ordered in childish ecstasy.

Little Piper grinned and before her older self could stop her, had thrown her hands up. "Okay, Andy." Her power was activated and Prue and Piper froze. One of little Andy's hands glowed for a split moment before it faded away and he turned curiously to the now frozen Prue and Piper.

Little Prue crossed her arms and turned on her little sister. "I'm telling, Mom. You're not supposed to freeze people!" She scolded.

"But he said to." Little Piper argued with an accusatory finger pointed in Little Andy's direction.

"Who are they?" Little Andy asked loudly, taking steps to little Prue and little Piper.

Phoebe and Paige came running into the room at that moment. "Prue, Piper, Mom's coming down…" Phoebe began and trailed off at the sight of her frozen sisters.

"Oops…" Paige mumbled, glancing behind her at the sound of Grams and Patty coming down the stairs.

~PO4~

"Fine, if you must go, go, I can't stop you, but I also can't promise that I won't teach the girls a new spell while you're gone." Grams consented reluctantly.

Patty stopped her descent down the stairs for a split moment. "Can't you just bake cookies with them like all the other grandmothers?" She suggested lightly.

Grams turned around to head back up the stairs. "The recipes they learn from me don't come from Betty Crocker, dear."

Patty laughed softly as she headed for the door. "Bye, girls. Love you." She called behind her.

~PO4~

Phoebe desperately waved her hands for little Piper to unfreeze the room. As if on cue, Prue and Piper unfroze and stared at Phoebe and Paige in confusion.

Little Andy turned his gaze on the newly arrived Phoebe and Paige. "Who are you?" He demanded suspiciously, a little tired of being ignored.

"Don't ask." Phoebe mumbled to him.

Paige's mouth dropped in disbelief. "Oh my God! Is that Andy?" Paige exclaimed, kneeling down in front of little Andy and ruffling his hair. "He is adorable."

Little Andy ducked away from Paige, giving her a look of disgust while flattening his messy hair.

"Uh, Paige, we gotta go fast. Mom just left and Grams is…" Phoebe looked behind her as Grams' voice drifted from another room.

"Prudence, Piper." She called for her granddaughters.

"… Coming…" Phoebe finished hesitantly.

Prue's eyes widened and she picked up little Piper and ushered her miniature self toward the kitchen. "Go, go, go, go, go." Prue ordered.

Piper ran forward and pulled little Prue, who she thought was moving too slow, and Phoebe grabbed Paige.

Little Andy quickly followed with narrowed eyes. "I wanna go too."

Phoebe spun back around. "No, Andy, you have to stay here." Phoebe replied.

"No!" Andy shouted, trudging forward stubbornly.

"Go, Phoebe, go. I got it." Prue muttered, carrying little Piper forward to block the door.

Phoebe grinned and took off after Paige, Piper, and Little Prue. "Oh, little Andy Trudeau is so cute." She agreed with Paige's earlier words.

"Alright, freeze him." Prue instructed little Piper, careful to make sure that she wasn't in the room to be frozen. "No wonder he's so suspicious of us." She added to herself. Little

Piper obediently flicked her wrists but once again Andy held his hand out. It glowed for a moment before dissipating and Prue's eyes narrowed in disbelief as he continued forward, definitely not frozen. "Okay, that didn't work." Prue muttered, quickly picking up little Piper again. She stepped back before shutting and locking the door to slow him down.

"Andy doesn't usually freeze." Little Piper told her.

Prue hesitated a moment about to question her when Paige's voice came from the kitchen. "Prue, hurry up, we've got the keys." Prue looked one last time behind her at the door that concealed little Andy before carrying little Piper out to the car.

Grams walked into the room to find little Andy trying to force the locked door to open. "Oh, Andy, did the girls lock you out? You poor dear." She laughed, stepping forward and unlocking the door with her telekinesis. "Do you know where the girls went?" She asked pleasantly.

"The strange ladies took them." Little Andy answered, pointing in the general direction of the departed sisters.

Grams' eyes widened in horror as she heard the start up of a car in their driveway… much too late to be Patty's. She bolted out to the driveway to try and intercept them. Grams was just able to see her car disappear down the street.

In her haste Grams had knocked over a vase. Little Andy threw his hand out and the vase froze just before shattering on the ground.


	34. That 70's Episode (Part 2)

The Park

They had taken the two children to the park where Prue was put in charge of instructing them on how to take on Nicholas. She had acquired a ball that they could practice their powers on. "Okay, girls. If we see a bad guy, what do we do?" Prue tested.

"She's gonna cry." Little Prue teased, pointing at little Piper.

Little Piper glared at little Prue in offense. "Am not, I'm gonna freeze him." Little Piper snapped.

"And then, I'm gonna move him." Little Prue followed, flicking her hand like she was using her power to throw something.

"Okay, then we will take care of him and then we will all…" Prue prompted.

"Run like the wind!" Little Prue and Piper enthused.

Prue laughed softly and held the ball up. "Exactly. Alright, so let's give it a try. Ready?" She asked. The little girls nodded and Prue threw the ball up in the air. Little Piper threw her hands up and froze the ball. As soon as it was frozen, little 

Prue pointed at the ball and it went flying through the air. "Wow…" Prue mouthed as she saw how far her miniature self could send the ball.

Little Prue spun back to face Prue. "Can we do it again?" She wondered enthusiastically.

"Yes, yes. Practice makes perfect." Prue allowed. Little Prue squinted at the ball and it came flying back, landing in Prue's arms. Prue handed the ball to little Prue and Piper. "Okay, go try it." She watched them run off with the ball before sitting down on the nearby bench between Phoebe and Paige.

"Those girls have major juice. They have control, they can aim…" Phoebe commented, sounding impressed.

"Not to mention… did you see how far little Prue sent that ball?" Paige added with a glance in the little girls' direction.

Prue nodded in agreement. "Yeah, well, they've had their powers a lot longer than we have. I mean did… I think." Prue replied.

"Mmhmm… twenty years without powers is definitely a set-back." Paige agreed.

"What do you think happened to our powers when we were kids?" Phoebe asked curiously.

Prue and Paige both shrugged. "Well, we lost a lot growing up. Somehow we must have lost them too." Was Prue's response.

Paige giggled. "That didn't even answer the question." She teased, receiving another shrug and a smile from Prue.

Piper walked up to them, returning from her investigation on Nicholas and Patty. "I finally found a pay phone. Mom is at work until five and Nicholas is on duty until six." She explained.

"Good, at least we know where he is. The girls are ready." Prue replied for Piper's benefit.

"Well, I'm not." Phoebe announced softly.

Prue, Piper, and Paige all looked toward Phoebe. "Why not?" Prue wondered.

Phoebe hesitated a moment before confessing. "Mom died before I could grab onto enough to keep her alive in my head. And now she's here, alive, pregnant with me. If we stop Nicholas, we have to go back to our own time and there's no Mom there."

"We don't have much of a choice, Phoebe." Piper pointed out gently.

Behind them several cop cars pulled up next to the car they had 'borrowed' from Grams. "Ladies, is this your car?" One of the cops asked professionally.

~PO4~

Hotel

Patty walked up to the room number 246 that the note Victor had sent specified and knocked softly on it.

"Come in." A man's voice sounded through the door.

"Victor?" Patty questioned, opening the door and stepping into the dark room. As she made it fully into the room someone grabbed her from behind and slammed her up against the wall. "Get off me!" She screamed as he pulled her arms behind her back and handcuffed her.

"I won't let you freeze me, Patty. That would ruin everything." Nicholas responded, loosening his grip on her now that she was defenseless.

Patty pulled away from him and spun to see who her attacker was. "You!" She realized, recognizing the cop from earlier.

"Call me Nicholas." He allowed.

"Where's Victor?" Patty demanded, her eyes scouring the area for any sign of him.

Nicholas slowly advanced toward her with a cocky grin. "Not here. Bait for the hook." Nicholas explained. As he got close enough, Patty elbowed him in the stomach and ran for the door. Nicholas stumbled but his weakness was only temporary as he spun around and held his fist out to her. "Your blood is boiling…" He began and Patty screamed in agony.

"… and soon death will come."

Patty slipped down against the wall. "What do you want?" She asked in defeat.

"What does any warlock want?" Nicholas questioned rhetorically. "I want your power, Patty. At least that's what I wanted at first. Until I realized you were the mother of the Charmed Ones."

Patty shook her head quickly. "No, you're mistaken. I only have two children." Patty gasped.

"Oh, but there'll be a third child. Where did that premonition of yours come from, Patty? If not from the unborn child inside you?" He inquired, his hand trailing down to Patty's stomach. He leaned forward. "I tapped your phone. I heard you and the old witch talking about it." Nicholas whispered to her.

"I saw four warlocks… women." Patty replied.

Nicholas nodded slightly. "I saw them too. At the diner. Rivals, perhaps… I got to you first." He let her slide to the ground before retrieving his ring from a nearby drawer.

"I beg you. Don't hurt them." Patty pleaded.

"There is another option, Patty." Nicholas pointed out, slipping the ring on his finger.

Patty fell helplessly back against the wall as he approached again.

~PO4~

Jail

Prue and Phoebe were seated side by side on the short bench that resided in their cell. Paige leaned casually against the bars, her eyes fixed on the pacing Piper.

"I can't believe we got arrested for kidnapping ourselves." Piper ranted, pausing in her pacing to glare at her sisters.

Prue smiled faintly and glanced around to make sure nobody was paying them any attention. "Yeah, well, it should make for an interesting defense." She joked.

Piper glared at Prue. "You think this is funny? Prue, we're not just stuck in jail, we're stuck in the past." She reminded them harshly.

"Yes, I know, Piper, I've been following." Prue returned with an amused smirk.

"Too bad Andy's too young to show up and bail us out." Paige lamented.

"Uh, bright side?" Phoebe suggested, a little hesitantly.

Piper transferred her glare to her younger sister. "Oh, I dare you." She challenged.

"Well, maybe we can get to know Mom better and in mine and Paige's case… finally." Phoebe offered. "I mean, if we really are stuck here, we might as well take advantage of it, right? And maybe we can keep her from dying young this time."  
Prue, Piper, and Paige exchanged glances. "Pheebs…" Paige began, but trailed off as she caught sight of a couple guards coming toward them.

"Five minutes, Ma'am." One of the officers said. They stepped aside revealing Patty and Prue and Phoebe jumped up from the bench as Patty stepped up to them.

"How did you know that I was pregnant? Who are you people?" Patty asked.

All four Halliwell sisters exchanged glances during which Prue nodded silently in consent. Phoebe was the one to step forward. "Your daughters." She answered.

Patty's eyes widened as she took in Prue and Piper, the two she could actually recognize. Then her gaze shifted to Phoebe and lastly to Paige. Her eyes narrowed a little suspiciously but she couldn't deny Phoebe looked very much like Piper and Paige favored Prue.

~PO4~

Outside the jail

Patty paid the bail and joined the sisters just outside where they were huddled along the sidewalk. "Okay, I bailed you out. You just better not be warlocks." Patty joked with a smile at them.

"Well, we wouldn't have needed you to bail us out if we were." Prue pointed out casually.

Patty nodded slightly and allowed her eyes to flicker over the two youngest. "I've seen some magic in my life, but this is a miracle."

"More than you know, Mom." Phoebe replied.

"Four? I guess the warlock was wrong. You're not the Charmed Ones." Patty mumbled thoughtfully.

The sisters exchanged confused glances. "What makes you say that?" Paige asked.

"Well, the prophecy is of three sisters. There are four of you…" Patty began but trailed off as they looked even more confused. "It's in the Book of Shadows. The Power of Three." She elaborated.

Prue was the first to respond. "Um, the Book of Shadows says four sisters. We're the Power of Four." Prue argued lightly.

Patty appeared just as confused. "So, you are the Charmed Ones?" She questioned, trying to put all the pieces together. They nodded and she glanced at Paige. "Well, then what's your Warren power?"

"Teleportation." Paige answered.

"Teleportation? I've never heard that Melinda Warren could teleport…" Patty remarked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "We'll have to ask Grams." She decided. For whatever reason, she couldn't bring herself to doubt that these girls were in fact her daughters and the Charmed Ones. All four of them.

Piper bit her lip nervously at the unexpected confusion regarding them. "Um, where are the little ones?" She asked as a change of subject.

"Home with Grams. I called her before I came here. That's how I found out you were arrested." Patty answered.

"Did you tell her about us?" Prue inquired curiously.

Patty shook her head slightly. "No, I didn't know what to say. I didn't know who you were myself." She paused in leading them to her car so that she could see them more clearly.

"Oh, you're all so beautiful. More than I ever would have imagined. Phoebe…" She whispered, her handing slipping down to her stomach. "I must have named you after my favorite aunt, but if you don't like the name, I can always change it…" Patty offered.

"No, no, I love it." Phoebe assured her as Patty turned back to Paige.

"Paige, talk about miracles… I've honestly no idea where I got Paige from." Patty laughed.

Paige smiled, biting her lip slightly. "Well, actually, that would be because you didn't exactly name me."

Patty suddenly frowned in confusion. "What?" She questioned.

Paige hesitated. "It's a long and complicated story. For later." She suggested lightly, glancing toward Prue for a little help.

Prue quickly wiped away a few stray tears before taking the hint and stepping into the conversation. "Um, Mom. We cast a spell to come back in time to help you. To stop you." She explained.

Patty reluctantly turned from Paige to her eldest daughter. "To stop me from what?" Patty asked.

"From making a pact with a warlock named Nicholas." Prue replied.

Patty closed her eyes for a moment and sighed deeply. "Then you're too late." She whispered apologetically.

"What?" Piper demanded in surprise.

"I thought I was going to see Victor, your father, but it turned out to be a trap." Patty elaborated.

"Nicholas." Prue sighed in realization.

Patty nodded in acknowledgment. "He tried to kill me. Phoebe too… and ultimately Paige." She began with a glance at both of her youngest daughters. "I had to give him immunity to your powers in exchange for your lives. I'd rather love you as mortal daughters than have to mourn you as dead witches." Patty finished.

"But he's gonna kill us anyway to get our powers." Piper argued.

"No." Patty disagreed. "Not until Phoebe's born and then the Power of Three is complete…" Patty trailed off as she remembered Paige. "The prophecy must change when you're born." She stated thoughtfully. "Your power should have still worked… he obviously didn't know about you." Patty realized with a questioning look to Paige.

Paige thought back to their encounter and shrugged. "I didn't actually use mine against him I don't think. I mean, I orbed us to the attic, but…"

"Orbed?" Patty interrupted. She noticed Paige bite her lip nervously, Prue glanced away as if taking in her surroundings, Piper looked at the ground, and Phoebe cast a disapproving look at Paige for her slip-up. It was obviously a subject for elsewhere so Patty decided to save her daughters the awkward silence. "I bought us some time in the hopes that Grams could help us." All the sisters' gazes returned to her as she dropped the subject. Patty smiled proudly at the Halliwell sisters. "Oh, she's going to be so thrilled when she sees you. The Charmed Ones."

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige smiled, tears slipping freely down their faces before they each stepped into their mother's embrace. Prue and Paige on one side with Piper and Phoebe on the other.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were seated on the couch in the conservatory with a suspicious Grams across from them, seated in her armchair. Patty was standing behind the sisters in silent support against Grams' scrutiny.

"Where was I born?" Grams asked with narrowed eyes.

Patty cast her mother a glare of disapproval. "Mom…" She scolded.

"I'm still not convinced that they're not warlocks." Grams interrupted

"We have a pact to undo. We should be looking for a spell." Patty argued, walking around the couch toward Grams.

"Boston." Paige answered suddenly and both Grams and Patty glanced at her curiously. "In a hotel room." She finished with a cocky smile. Patty reluctantly dropped into her own chair to sit through the interrogation.

Grams narrowed her eyes at Paige for a moment. "What was my husband's name?" She questioned.

Prue smirked. "Which husband?" She countered, causing Piper, Phoebe, and Paige to erupt in giggles that they hastily tried to stifle.

"Who's Melinda Warren?" Grams went on, ignoring the laughter.

Phoebe leaned forward this time. "The beginning of our family line. She gave us our powers, our destiny." She replied.

"What's the secret ingredient in my blueberry cobbler?" Grams inquired.

Piper smiled and answered this time. "Honey with a splash of rum."

Grams leaned forward eagerly. "What's IBM selling at in your time?" She demanded.

"Mom!" Patty scolded.

"What?" Grams asked feigning ignorance.

"This is no time for personal gain." Patty answered sharply.

Grams sighed. "You're right… if they could just nod their heads…" She trailed off when Patty narrowed her eyes in warning. "Okay, forget it." Grams allowed, turning back to the four sisters with a wide smile. "Well, look at you. Four of you. The Charmed Ones. Oh, Patty, I always knew I'd deliver the Charmed Ones." Grams continued earning a glare from

Patty. "Once removed of course." She corrected. "Prue." She guessed, pointing at the eldest sister, who nodded slightly. "Piper." Grams recognized. Piper smiled and waved in greeting. "And, uh…"

"Phoebe!" Phoebe replied to her questioning look.

Grams' gaze shifted to Paige. "You?" She wondered.

"Paige." Paige answered with a half-smile.

"Oh, two more 'P''s. What a surprise!" Grams exclaimed with a sarcastic look at Patty.

Patty rolled her eyes. "About the pact." She reminded pointedly.

"We must keep the girls safe until we can reverse it. I'll have to bind their powers." Grams decided with a glance back at Patty, who nodded in agreement.

"Uh, bind our powers?" Piper asked in confusion.

"Strip them from the young ones so Nicholas can't get a hold of them." Grams explained and hastily continued at the sight of her granddaughters falling faces. "It doesn't have to be done right away. As soon as Phoebe's born. I'll cast a spell to suspend their… your powers. When Paige is born we'll bind hers separately." Grams elaborated.

Prue exchanged a look with Piper before turning back to Grams. "Yeah, but that's exactly what you did… do… err… will do." Prue stuttered. "You know what I mean." She sighed.

"Well, that explains why we don't remember having our powers when we were younger." Piper pointed out thoughtfully.

This time Grams and Patty were the ones that exchanged a glance. "What do you mean? How old were you when you got your powers back?" Grams inquired curiously.

"Uhh… eight, nine months ago." Paige guessed.

Grams frowned in confusion. "What? I unbound your powers without having broken the pact? Why would I do that?" She asked rhetorically. "I mean, unless I died which of course would automatically…" Grams began but trailed off as she caught sight of her granddaughters look away. It was easy to guess why. "… Unbind your powers." She smiled faintly in realization and stood up. She was silent a moment before speaking again. "I guess I'm not going to make it to the next millennium, huh?" Grams guessed.

Phoebe was the first to speak. "Uh, speaking of that, Mom…" She started.

"No." Grams interrupted. "We mustn't know anymore about the future. You came back for one reason. To break the pact. You mustn't tamper with anything else. It's much too risky." Grams warned. "Heaven knows what damage you've already done by coming back here."

"We haven't done anything. We missed our chance to stop the pact." Prue argued softly.

"And there's a reason for that." Grams assured them. "Destiny always gets its own way. It's not as easy to change the past as you might think. If you do it incorrectly, everything will change. The evil that you vanquished, the good you've done, none of it may've ever happened." She explained.

They all followed Grams into the next room, Patty stopped next to her with the sisters huddled together in front of them. "Well, we have to change this. We can't go back and let him kill us." Piper snapped.

"The only way to vanquish him in your time would be for me to un-bless the ring and take away it's immunity." Patty replied gently.

Grams appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Paige should also be able to say a vanquishing spell." She offered.

Patty shook her head immediately. "That's too risky. They all need to be able to say it." She countered. "The ring is kept in a drawer in his hotel room."

"Okay, well, let's go to Nicholas' hotel room and steal back the ring. Hopefully it'll be there." Phoebe suggested.

"No, it's too dangerous, you don't have powers. I'll go." Patty decided.

Prue stepped forward to block Patty's path as she headed for the door. "No, if something happened to you future history could be changed forever. Just like Grams said." Prue argued.

"Yeah, we have to go." Paige agreed.

"Well, I'm glad to see you finally learned to listen to me." Grams remarked, earning a glare from Prue. "You better hurry. In the meantime, I'll write a new spell that will get you back to your own time." She turned to head up the stairs.

"Wait, you can do that? You can send us home?" Piper questioned, stopping Grams in her tracks.

Grams laughed softly. "We're witches, dear. We can do anything."

Phoebe's gaze flickered to their mother and she sighed. "I wish that were true…" She whispered.

"Okay, we better go." Paige interrupted, smiling innocently at Patty when she looked at Phoebe. Trying to appear casual, Paige linked arms with Phoebe and pulled her toward the door.

"We'll be back soon." Prue assured Patty and Grams, heading out the door after Piper.

"Be careful." Patty pleaded. She watched as Prue waved one last time and shut the door behind them. Patty sighed before turning and heading up the stairs to help her mother with the spell.

~PO4~

Hotel

Prue glanced nervously down the hallways as Phoebe picked the lock to Nicholas' apartment. "How come I'm not surprised you know how to do this?" Prue asked rhetorically.

Phoebe smiled faintly. "Guess what? Paige taught me." She laughed as Prue's eyes widened in surprise. "Anyways, let's just hope Nicholas isn't inside." Phoebe stated.

"The concierge says he's not and Piper and Paige are outside watching for him." Prue pointed out with a shrug.

Phoebe finally got the door open and she flipped the light on before leading the way inside. Prue closed it behind her while Phoebe began the search. "Mom says it's in a drawer."

Phoebe reminded Prue. Phoebe pulled open all the drawers next to his bed and Prue searched drawers that would normally hold clothes, but turned out to be empty.

Prue was the one to eventually pull out the little box that held the ring. "I found it." She called and Phoebe ran up to her. She dropped the ring into her hand. "Okay, we gotta get it back to Mom."

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"We have the ring, here it is." Prue announced, pushing the door of the attic open and leading the way to where their mother and Grams were seated around the ritual area for the new spell. She handed the ring to Patty's outstretched hand while Piper, Phoebe, and Paige filed into the room.

"Okay, now what." Piper asked, stopping next to Prue. Phoebe passed by the small gathering and headed for the Book of Shadows.

Grams carefully stood up before answering. "Go back to where you belong."

"And then I will un-bless the ring and get it back to the hotel before Nicholas finds it missing." Patty followed, twirling the ring in her hand.

"Now, remember, there is no time to lose. You will return at the exact moment you left, which means Nicholas will be there too." Grams warned seriously.

"Hopefully without immunity to our powers." Piper remarked.

Paige was nodding enthusiastically. "Perfect. Sounds like a plan." She agreed.

Through their conversation, Phoebe had acquired a small notebook and wrote "Mom, be careful on February 28, 1978 or a warlock will drown you."

"We'll be ready." Prue assured their worried mother and Grams. "Phoebe?" She called.

Phoebe quickly folded the letter. "Okay, I'm coming." Phoebe replied, opening the Book of Shadows and sticking the paper between the pages.

Prue smiled a little sadly and stepped into her mother's embrace. "I love you, Mom." She whispered before reluctantly pulling away.

Patty took a moment to study Paige before pulling her baby into her arms. "You never explained the orbing." Patty pointed out softly.

"Half-whitelighter." Paige answered, quiet enough that no one else could hear. She smirked at her mother's face of astonishment. "It all works out. I love you."

Piper offered her grandmother a watery smile as they hugged. "I'm never gonna learn to like lima beans, Grams, but thanks for everything else." Piper stepped back and Phoebe came up.

"You're going to be a handful, aren't you?" Grams guessed.

Phoebe grinned. "You'll learn to love me." She laughed. Grams turned around to hug both Prue and Paige while Phoebe followed Piper to Patty. "I'm gonna miss you." Phoebe whispered to her mother.

The four sisters finally stepped away from their Grams and mother. They watched silently as Grams lit a match and dropped it into the Wiccan bowl and began to chant.

"A time for everything and to everything it's place

Return what has been moved through time and space."

The sisters glanced at each other when nothing happened.

Patty frowned and ran forward to help Grams. "Here let me help." She offered, taking Grams' hand.

"A time for everything and to everything it's place  
Return what has been moved through time and space."

They chanted. This time, Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige disappeared in a swirl of white orbs.

"You did well, Patty. Oh, they're fabulous." Grams complimented after a moment of silence.

Patty smiled and wiped a few tears from her eyes. "I just hope they're safe." Patty whispered. Grams and Patty froze when there was another swirl of white orbs and the four sisters reappeared in front of them.

Prue was the first to recognize something went wrong. "Oops…" She mumbled.

Patty and Grams were staring at them in confusion. "What happened?" Grams demanded.

"Where did you go?" Patty asked.

Piper glanced around the attic curiously for a moment. "We didn't go anywhere." She answered.

"Yeah, we were just standing here and the next thing we knew…" Paige began.

"… We were just standing here." Phoebe finished with a shrug.

"I told you to use poplar buds." Patty rounded on Grams.

Grams appeared taken aback for a moment. "It's a perfectly good spell. It moved them through time." Grams argued in offense.

"Yeah, ten seconds." Patty returned sarcastically.

"I'm telling you, it's not the spell. It must be the power behind the spell. There's not enough power." Grams continued.

Prue and Piper exchanged worried glances. "Maybe we need the Power of Four." Piper suggested nervously. Obviously that wasn't going to happen for another couple of years.

Grams and Patty also frowned as the thought sunk in.

"The only problem is it doesn't exist yet." Phoebe was the only one to actually voice what everyone else was thinking.

~PO4~

Grams irritably shut the book and turned to face her four granddaughters and her own daughter. "Nothing." She stated, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Maybe this is our destiny." Phoebe offered with a shrug.

"Not for the Charmed Ones." Grams argued lightly.

Piper rolled her eyes in annoyance at the entire situation. "We don't exist yet." She pointed out to their grandmother. "Not with powers anyway…" She added.

Patty's eyes widened in realization. "Oh my God! We may not have the Power of Four, but we do have the Power of Three." She announced suddenly.

Paige frowned in confusion. "So?" Paige prompted.

"So, before Paige changed it, the Power of Three was the strongest good magic there was. It's possible that the Power of Three is interchangeable which means that it's also possible that it could be strong enough to send you home." Patty explained.

"She's right, any three of you should be able to cast a damn powerful spell and I find it hard to believe that spell that brought you here needed all four of you for it to work." Grams agreed.

Prue appeared thoughtful as she about what they were saying. "Okay, so, the reversal spell should also not require more than the Power of Three." She finished, earning a nod of approval from Grams.

"There's still the problem that the Power of Three doesn't exist yet either…" Piper cut in.

Everyone's face fell for a moment before Patty spoke up. "Yes, you do. Little Prue and Piper have their powers and Phoebe gave me a premonition so she must have hers. If we can teach the girls the chant, maybe the three of us can get you back to your time."

"The Power of Three… it's worth a try." Prue allowed.

Everyone spun around as they heard the front door slam closed. "Where are you, witches? Where's my ring?" Nicholas' very angry voice drifted up from the main floor. "Nicholas." Paige realized.

"You and Piper go get the girls." Grams ordered to Patty. "We'll fend him off." She decided, her eyes flickering over Prue, Phoebe, and Paige. They all dashed out of the attic to follow their assigned duties except Phoebe who was still standing back with the Book of Shadows. Phoebe quickly took the warning note that she had written to Patty out and nervously fingered it as she tried to decide which to do. "Come on, Phoebe." Grams called from the top of the stairs, breaking Phoebe out of her trance.

Phoebe slipped it in her back pocket and silently followed everyone down the stairs.

~PO4~

Nicholas began to climb the stairs, but Grams pushed through her granddaughters so that she was in front. She threw her hand out and Nicholas flew through the air and crashed into the dining room table.

"Oh, Grandma, don't get too close. His power." Prue reminded her.

"I know, I know." Grams sighed, letting her hand fall to her side.

"We can't risk you getting hurt. Go upstairs and help Mom start the spell." Phoebe suggested. Grams nodded and reluctantly went back up to the attic.

Paige waved for them to follow her. "Yeah, we can take him." She agreed jumping down the stairs with Prue and Phoebe on her heels.

Nicholas was just regaining his feet among the debris when Phoebe ran forward and kicked him in the face, making him fall back to the ground.

~PO4~

Piper led her miniature self, still dressed in pajamas, into the attic and in front of Grams who was preparing the instruction. Patty followed with little Prue and stopped next to the two Pipers.

Patty turned her little daughters to face her. "Okay, we're gonna play a little game, okay. Now give me your hands." She ordered gently.

"Okay, hurry." Piper fretted.

"Now, repeat after me." Patty told little Piper and Prue. "A time for everything and to everything it's place."

"A time for everything and to everything it's place." Little Prue and little Piper repeated.

"Return what has been moved through time and space." Patty continued.

"Return what has been moved through time and space." They chanted in return. Piper nodded vigorously as little Prue looked up at her. Little Piper wrapped her arms around Patty's neck.

~PO4~

Downstairs, Prue lifted one of the dining room chairs over her head and smashed it down on Nicholas as he began to get to his feet again. Nicholas dropped, but reached out to grab Prue, who ran into the next room out of reach. Paige jumped heavily on his reaching hand as she took off after Prue. They met Phoebe at the bottom of the stairs and raced up to the attic.

"Alright, we don't have much time." Prue announced as they ran into the attic.

"What about his ring?" Piper asked.

Grams ushered everyone to their places. "Don't worry about the ring now. Let's just get you back."

"It is unblessed thought, right?" Paige questioned.

"Yes, but there wasn't time to test it." Grams replied.

Phoebe quickly reached for a camera that was lying on a nearby table. She moved around her sisters and pointed it at Patty with little Prue and little Piper on either side of her. With a small smile she pressed the button and the light flashed. Patty, realizing what had happened, smiled at Phoebe before nodding for her to get back with her sisters.

"How will we know it works?" Prue demanded nervously.

"You won't. Not until you get back and since time will pick up right where it left off, he won't know either." Grams explained hastily. Footsteps heading up the stairs announced that Nicholas was once again back on his feet. "Goodbye, girls. Be good darlings." Grams wished, hugging all four of them at the same time. She pulled away and Patty ran up with little Piper and little Prue and gave a quick hug to all her daughters before pulling little Piper and Prue back to where they were going to say the spell. She placed her little daughters' hands on her stomach while Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige huddled together across from them.

"A time for everything and to everything it's place  
Return what has been moved through time and space."

Patty, little Prue, and little Piper chanted. Grams dropped the lit match into the Wiccan bowl and the four sisters were surrounded by white orbs. When they reappeared there was no Grams, Patty, or the little Prue and Piper.

"It worked, we're back." Prue exclaimed, looking around the attic curiously.

Paige turned toward the door at the sound of Nicholas running up the stairs. "Yeah and so is he." She reminded them.

"Hurry." Phoebe hissed as they cluttered around the book searching for a spell to get rid of him.

Nicholas barreled through the door, slamming it back into the wall. "Time is up." He announced ominously. He held his ring up and fisted his hand, ready to use his power on them and gain their powers.

Prue squinted at him and he was thrown back into the wall. "Okay, the ring's unblessed."

"Down!" Paige ordered, holding her hand out against him. A swirl of orbs hit him and he was thrown back to the ground as he tried to get back to his feet.

Piper hastily threw her hands out, freezing him. "Phoebe, find anything?" Piper demanded.

Phoebe stopped flipping through the pages and smirked to herself. "How about the 'Nicholas must die' spell." She suggested.

"That wasn't there before." Piper pointed out, hastily scanning over the spell.

"Well, maybe it's just Grams' way of saying 'welcome back' … or, or front." Prue suggested under her breath as she ran to grab the necessary items for the ritual. A mortar and pestle and spice bag.

"Spell pouch included at no extra charge." Phoebe quipped.

"Uh, lavender, mimosa, holy thistle…" Phoebe began.

Piper poured the spices out of the bag into the mortar and pestle that instantly smoked over in Prue's hands.

"Awesome!" Paige exclaimed.

"Cleanse this evil from our midst,  
Scatter it's cells throughout time,  
Let this Nick no more exist." They finished together.

He yelled defiantly as the magic spun him until he eventually exploded. His ring dropped to the ground where had been standing moments before. The sisters stared for several moments in silence. "Wow, I'm really glad I never got on Grams' bad side." Prue mumbled, breaking the resulting silence.

~PO4~

Prue and Phoebe had moved down to the solarium continuing their picture organizing that had so rudely been interrupted by Nicholas.

Phoebe suddenly threw down her stack of photos. "I can't stop thinking about Mom. How I lost her and then I found her again." Phoebe sighed, dropping her head into her hand.

"I'm just glad you finally have memories of her." Prue allowed while also dropping the photos that had been in her hands. She stopped when Phoebe pointed behind her and turned to find Piper arranging the flowers from Nicholas on the nearby table.

"What? I'm supposed to throw out perfectly good flowers just because they came from a creep? If that was the rule we would never have flowers in this house." Piper argued when she noticed their staring.

Prue laughed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, well, they didn't just come from a creep, but they came from a warlock who tried to kill us."

"Still, if it weren't for him, I probably would've never gotten to know Mom." Phoebe pointed out thoughtfully.

"We all wanted to save Mom, Pheebs, but both Mom and Grams said we can't change destiny." Piper reminded her gently.

Phoebe sighed but nodded in reluctant agreement. "I know, but, um, I still wrote her a note anyway." She admitted.

"You did?" Prue asked curiously.

"Yes, I wrote her a note telling her to stay away from water on the day that she died and I put it in the Book of Shadows." Phoebe elaborated.

"I can't believe you did that." Piper exclaimed in surprise.

Phoebe frowned slightly at the accusation. "You don't understand. Every time I've made a wish, I've wished for time with Mom. And I believed in my heart that someday, somehow, that wish would come true and when it finally did, I didn't want to let her go." Phoebe explained softly. "You know, and then I realized that I had to let her go, so I took the note out and put it in my pocket."

Prue smiled in approval and pulled Phoebe into a quick hug. "Maturity sucks, doesn't it?" She laughed.

"Mmhmm." Phoebe agreed.

Piper fingered a picture in her hand for several moments. "Still, faith has its rewards." She commented, passing it to Prue so that Phoebe could see it. "It's a pretty good one of us, but once again, not a great one of you, Pheebs." Piper shrugged.

Phoebe quickly snapped the picture from Prue's hands. Her eyes flickered eagerly over the picture she had taken in the past of Patty with little Prue and little Piper. "Are you kidding? That is the best picture of me I've ever taken."

"Too bad Paigey couldn't make it in there." Piper lamented.

Phoebe looked around the room as if she just realized that the youngest sister was missing. "Where is she anyways?" She wondered.

"Probably doing some work." Piper answered, waving her hand for Phoebe to follow her. "Come on, help me with dinner." She ordered.

Prue remained sitting, deep in thought for several moments after Phoebe and Piper had left into the kitchen. With a look of narrow-eyed determination, she stood up and headed for the stairs that would lead her to the attic. As she left the room, the picture that Phoebe had taken disappeared in a swirl of orbs.

~PO4~

Prue was flipping quickly through the book as she had been for the past few hours. After the first hour, Piper had started mentally ordering her to stop her search, but had resulted in Prue blocking her out. Prue slammed the book closed, slightly harder than necessary, and paced around the small attic before stubbornly returning and resuming her search. She was still there when Paige came looking for her

"What are you doing with the book?" Paige asked curiously. Her eyes were narrowed slightly at her eldest sister who was obviously frantically looking for something.

Prue hesitated answering. "I… never mind. It's nothing." She whispered, shutting the book again. She started to push past Paige to go back downstairs, but Paige caught her by the arm. "Paige…" Prue warned. She wasn't really in the mood for an argument with Paige also.

Paige immediately let go of her arm, but continued to block Prue's way out. She was silent as she tried to figure out the best way to ask. "Um, do you remember how we were when I first moved in?"

Prue appeared surprised by the question that she definitely had not been expecting. "Yeah, why?" She inquired.

"Have things changed?" Paige wondered, waving her hand between the two of them.

"The situation's different." Prue answered carefully.

Paige smirked faintly. "So that's a yes." She stated, appearing mildly hurt, but covering it the best she could.

Prue started to leave again, but stopped at the door. She sighed and slowly turned to face Paige. "Are you still willing to listen?" She asked uncertainly.

"If you don't mind listening to me." Paige replied. Prue nodded and led the way to Aunt Pearl's couch where she sat down and patted the spot next to her. Paige readily dropped

down. "You first." Paige suggested. "Just talk to me like you used to when you'd come to my parents' house to see me." She continued when Prue still seemed reluctant.

"It's easier to share with someone you don't live with all the time." Prue argued softly, but meeting Paige's eyes she attempted anyways. "First, we're under sister confidentiality, right?" She pressed.

Paige laughed softly. "Yes. I won't say a word as long you don't say a word about what I'm going to say to you."

"Okay… See, while we were in the past, I tried to have little Piper freeze Andy, but it didn't work. Why wouldn't it work? I mean, it works now." Prue explained. "I think…" She mumbled.

"What did Piper say?" Paige wondered. Prue usually talked to Piper in regards to her very complicated Andy situation.

"She said that I thought he didn't freeze because I inwardly wanted him not to…" Prue answered. "… But I know he didn't freeze. I locked the door so he couldn't get through, but he did not freeze." Prue continued, sounding as if this whole situation was causing her a lot of distress.

Paige's eyes flickered to the book curiously before back at Prue. Knowing Andy was like them made it easy to believe that he didn't freeze, but Prue, having no idea was probably thinking she was going insane. "So if you know what you saw then the problem is that you don't think it makes sense, right?" Paige prompted, earning a slight nod from Prue.

"Well, did it make sense that we were witches when we first got our powers?" She inquired

"No, not really." Prue admitted. She appeared thoughtful for several moments and her eyes flickered back to the book.

"Then the answers you're looking for aren't going to be in the book." Paige went on.

Prue smiled faintly. "Yeah, I guess not." She agreed. "Thanks." Paige nodded in a gesture of 'you're welcome.' "So, what's up with you?"

"Uh, I just sorta feel like I'm not needed… I guess." Paige explained hesitantly. She glanced up and saw Prue was silently waiting for her to explain a little more. "You guys didn't need my help to get back from the past because the Power of Three or whatever was enough. I feel like now that we know that, I'm going to be left behind more often." Paige elaborated slowly.

"What else?" Prue pressed gently, recognizing that there was more to it.

"Well, Mom really cared for you guys but when I came around, she gave me away. I guess if I'm being honest, I never thought of Mom caring as much as I saw she did earlier today." Paige obediently continued. She looked down at her hands almost ashamed, but all her thoughts did was make her feel even more unneeded.

Prue smiled and pulled Paige into a hug. When she did she noticed Paige clutching the picture of Patty, little Prue and little Piper and she tightened her hold on her baby sister.

"Missy Paige, do you remember what I told you when you first moved in?" She asked, purposefully using the same choice of words that Paige had used against her moments before. Prue felt Paige nod and so continued. "Nothing has changed. I'm not going to leave you behind. I'm not going to treat you differently just because our situation has changed." Paige didn't respond and Prue began to speak again. "Think about it this way. You're part whitelighter so maybe it's set up this way so that you can also be able to focus on it instead of being a witch all the time like us."

"How do you know I can even be a whitelighter?" Paige wondered.

"It's part of who you are. Besides, are you trying to tell me that you don't do anything whitelightery?" Prue challenged lightly.

"How much do you know?" Paige demanded curiously as it was obvious Prue knew more than she would say unless prompted.

Prue shrugged thoughtfully. "Well, you could say just the fact you are a social worker assistant would be whitelightery, but magically speaking… I know you didn't heal Max's father, Mr. Franklin, but I'm pretty sure you're part of the reason he was healed." She admitted.

Paige nodded with a faint smile. "I'll admit, I have met a few Whitelighters and I do have a charge."

"I'm just going to take a wild guess and say that a 'charge' is a person you help…" Prue remarked earning a nod from Paige. "Andy?" She guessed.

Paige tensed and turned so that she could see Prue better. "What makes you say that?" She inquired.

"Well, you're at the police station kind of often trying to keep him sane around us and you weren't surprised when I mentioned him not freezing." Prue explained.

"Oh, sorry." Paige apologized nervously. It was kinda weird to admit you had been secretly watching over your eldest sister's sorta-magical-ex-boyfriend that she was still in love with.

"Don't be. I wouldn't trust anyone else to do it." Prue assured her, slowly getting to her feet. "Come on. Piper is gonna be angry if we don't go down and eat her dinner soon." She laughed.

Paige stood up and followed Prue to the door of the attic before she stopped and glanced back at the Book of Shadows. "Andy will find out soon." She commented suddenly, knowing that was what Prue really wanted to know. Paige couldn't tell for sure, but she was fairly certain she saw Prue smile. She quickly followed, both sisters much more at ease than they had been when they had entered the attic.


	35. When Bad Warlocks Turn Good (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everybody, thanks for all the reviews. I think every person on here likes getting reviews for their stories as it helps as motivation. I, also, wanted to thank everyone that has followed my story from the beginning and those that joined along the way. The season is coming to a close with only a few episodes left so I hope they are enjoyable for everyone. Tell me what you think afterwards please!

When Bad Warlocks Turn Good

 

Church

"I wake up at night. My heart pounding, a voice whispering in my head 'You're a fraud. You can't fool God.'" Brendan admitted to the priest that occupied the seat next to him. The young man drew a hand through his light brown hair, a show of his frustration.

The priest turned to Brendan and took the younger man's hand in silent support. "These are not new fears, Brendan." He started, but took a moment to compose himself before continuing again. "I've watched you grow. Wept for you, rejoiced in you, you are not a fraud. I know your heart."

Brendan shook his head slowly and dropped his gaze. "You don't know my family, Father." He whispered. "Generations of evil, evil that's in my blood." Brendan explained softly.

"The blood of the sacrament washes it clean." The priest assured him.

"Hello, Brendan." A third party joined the conversation. Brendan spun around and jumped to his feet as he recognized the two men that stood behind him. The one in the front, the obvious leader, was the one that had spoken.

"Long time, no see." The man slightly behind the first greeted.

Brendan stared in shock at them for a few moments before he even thought about replying. "How'd you find me?" Brendan demanded with a glance over his shoulder at the priest that had been helping him.

"Yeah, good to see you too." The leader returned sarcastically. His eyes flickered to land on the priest and a wicked grin pulled at his features. "We didn't mean to interrupt your conversation. We'll wait outside for you so we can have a family reunion." He decided, lightly pushing the other man toward the exit. After a few moments of silence, he followed, leaving Brendan and the priest behind inside the church.

~PO4~

Prue came from behind the Quake van to stop next to Piper and Phoebe. She dropped the large metal pans that she had just gotten back from the church in the back of the van.

"Hey, you know what? Next time Quake does a food pantry, why don't you call some guys?" Prue suggested lightly.

Piper nodded with sarcastic enthusiasm as she handed more pans to Phoebe, who was loading them in the back. "Yeah, I'll just go through my handy guy rolodex." She quipped, rolling her eyes dramatically.

"Which I believe now stops at 'J' for Josh or is it 'B' for boyfriend?" Phoebe joked.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Piper mumbled, trying to hide the faint smile on her face.

Phoebe glanced over at Prue for a moment for an answer, but receiving none turned back to Piper. "Why not, Piper? You know you like him and he calls you all the time. Why don't you just go out with him?" She asked curiously.

Piper sighed and passed Phoebe another pan, a little harder than necessary. "I told you because I'm busy with work and my instincts are telling me to lay low."

"Always trust your instincts." Prue encouraged.

Phoebe glared playfully at Prue. "Whose side are you on?" She snapped. She flashed a smile at the end to show she was joking around and Prue answered with a sarcastic look of thought.

Piper's eyes flickered to follow the small group of nuns that passed by with Paige among them. "Now, they have got the right idea." Piper announced suddenly.

Phoebe quickly followed her gaze and stared in confusion. "Who? The nuns or Paige?" Phoebe inquired.

"The nuns, a nice safe environment." Piper answered wistfully.

"Yeah, if you like monks." Phoebe agreed, watching Piper in concern.

"Stress-free, no need to worry about guys, no wardrobe." Piper continued.

Phoebe's mouth dropped in disbelief. "No wardrobe? Okay, now you're scaring me." She admitted with wide brown eyes. Prue and Piper smirked while Phoebe's attention was pulled to the group of nuns again as Paige laughed loudly. "Oh no, I've got to go save Paige from the nuns!" Phoebe exclaimed, jumping down from the back of the van.

Prue reached out to grab Phoebe by the arm, effectively halting the younger Halliwell. "She's talking with Sister Agnes." Prue explained.

Phoebe frowned faintly as she looked after Paige. "But she's single right now. What if they put ideas into her head? I can't lose two sisters to the nunnery!"

"Hey, Pheebs, she's fine. Now tell me something useful. Does anyone know whose pen this is?" Piper asked, holding the pen she had been writing with up.

"Oh, it's, uh, Brendan's I think." Prue replied. "You know, the cute guy who signed for the food, remember?" She pressed.

Phoebe smiled thoughtfully. "I remember him, yes."

Piper pushed the pen into Phoebe's hands. "Good, then you can take it to him. I think he's in the church office." She decided, lightly pushing Phoebe in the corresponding direction.

"Okay, just don't go taking any vows while I'm gone." Phoebe joked, twirling the pen in her hand. She was immediately pulled into a premonition.

Brendan was thrown across the room by the two men that had confronted him earlier in the church.

Phoebe's eyes widened and she grabbed heavily onto Prue's arm. "Oh, oh, cute guy, I just saw him being attacked by a warlock." She announced.

"Where?" Prue demanded gently.

Phoebe narrowed her eyes as she fought to remember the details of her premonition. "I think it was here somewhere." She finally answered.

Prue nodded. "Alright, let's split up." She decided. "Paige!" She yelled. It only took a few moments for Paige to appear in the swirl of orbs. "You're with me." Prue explained cryptically, pulling Paige after her and toward the church building while Piper and Phoebe went around to the side of the church.

~PO4~

Brendan had quickly dismissed his priest for his own safety and proceeded to kneel in front of the alter, silently praying until the two men returned.

"Give it up, little brother. You're praying to the wrong deity. Aren't you, Brendan? After all, we can't deny who we are." The leading man mocked as he paced slowly around his youngest brother.

Brendan stood up and turned on him. "You don't scare me, Greg." He warned with narrowed eyes.

Greg returned the glare. "Sure I do." Greg disagreed, allowing his body to contort into his warlock form. His voice grew deeper, more ominous. "Paul and I've come a long way to find you. We're not leaving until you join us."

The other brother, Paul, stepped forward next to Brendan. "Please, Brendan, we don't want to hurt you." Paul followed, easily the more level-headed of the two.

Brendan's gaze shifted back to Greg in time to see Greg's hand slam into him. Greg's strength coupled with his telekinetic power threw Brendan through the air to land heavily on the floor of the church, narrowly missing the wooden pews.

"Did you really think the church could save you?" Greg yelled as he advanced on Brendan. He irritably pulled Brendan back to his feet and his hand tightened on his younger brother's throat. He pulled his hand back ready to hit the struggling Brendan again.

"Hey!" Prue called, turning Greg's attention on her. Before he could do anything Prue had narrowed her eyes and telekinetically thrown him into a nearby table. "Piper, Phoebe!" She yelled for her other two sisters as Paige was just behind her.

Paul stepped forward, pulling an athame out and readying it at Prue. He tossed it but Paige jumped forward, throwing her hand out. "Athame." She called and it obediently landed in her hand.

"We'll come back for you." Greg promised to Brendan and before Paige or Prue could toss the athame back or use their powers the two warlock brothers ran out of the church.

"Prue? Paige?" Phoebe's voice carried from a nearby room.

"Over here." Paige replied while Prue ran forward to Brendan.

Prue stopped next to Brendan, quickly checking for any wounds. "Hey, you alright?" She asked in concern.

Brendan's eyes never left where his brothers had disappeared. "Yeah, thanks." He answered Prue before taking off after Greg and Paul.

"Wait, where…?" Prue started, but he'd gone.

"What does he think he's doing?" Paige wondered curiously. It wasn't often the innocents went after the people that had attacked them.

Piper and Phoebe ran up to join them at that moment. "Hey!" Piper tried to stop him, but to no avail.

"What happened?" Phoebe questioned, completely confused.

Prue took a moment to glance at her sisters before shrugging. "I don't know, but uh, I'm gonna go find out." She decided, running after Brendan.

Piper hesitated a moment before following. "Ugh… Wait for me, Prue! It could be dangerous." She yelled, leaving Paige and Phoebe to stare after them in silence.

~PO4~

Greg and Paul's Hotel Room

Paul stared fully entranced by his pet chameleon as it's tongue shot out to catch it's latest victim. "Amazing reflexes." He exclaimed, impressed. "Check it out." Paul called to his brother.

Greg had not heard his younger brother's wish as he was busy pacing the room and trying to figure out how to fix the irritating situation caused by Brendan. "We should have kept a closer watch on Brendan over the years. Shouldn't have left him alone." He muttered angrily.

"Seriously, you gotta see this, watch." Paul insisted, still not looking away from his pet.

Greg resisted the urge to punch the wall and spun on Paul. "I'm sick and tired of you and this freakin' lizard!" Greg snapped in frustration.

Paul finally looked up at Greg, a challenge in his green eyes. "Yeah, too bad." He returned. Greg threw his hand back ready to send the aquarium and the chameleon out the window when Paul jumped up. "No!" Paul yelled, generating a shield around the chameleon just in time to nullify Greg's magic. "I'm sorry, okay. Just stay away from my pet.

That's all I ask." He apologized and attempted to soothe his eldest brother. Greg let his hand drop and Paul responded by dropping his shield. "Maybe we should let Brendan go. I mean, we don't really need him. It's not like we don't already have our powers."

"Without his powers we can't complete our triangle." Greg argued. "Paul, the prophecy of the Rowe Coven. He must accept his heritage. He must be initiated as a warlock." He continued.

"Initiated how? We can't force him to kill an innocent." Paul pointed out.

Greg fell silent a moment before smiling triumphantly. "Well, maybe not, but we can restore his inner nature. The part he thinks he's suppressed. Make him wanna kill." Greg retorted.

"By tomorrow? Not a chance." Paul disagreed. "Once he's been ordained, he's safe. He can never become a warlock." He countered.

"In which case, we will have to kill him." Greg decided.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

The four Halliwell sisters were sitting around the Solarium the next morning. Prue was reading the newspaper as usual, Piper was drinking coffee, Paige had the Book of Shadows open and was flipping absently through the pages, and Phoebe stood up to answer the phone as it's ring broke up their conversation.

"Hello?" Phoebe answered. "Oh, hello, Josh… how are you?" She greeted with a pointed glance behind her at Piper.

Piper's eyes had widened and she carefully set her coffee down. "I will call him back." She lied.

"Oh, she's right here, hold on a sec." Phoebe replied to Josh. She smiled triumphantly as Piper had no choice but to get up and talk to him now. "Oops." She allowed, not in the least bit sorry.

Piper just glared at her as she snatched the phone from Phoebe. "Hello… No, it's alright. I'm always up this early… What's that? My horoscope said that…? Really…? Oh, well that's a shame 'cause I have to work on Friday night… Yep, Saturday too…" Piper fabricated. Anything to get out of a date.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and slowly stood up. "Okay, I have to go change the cat litter." She decided suddenly.

"Yeah, right." Paige agreed sarcastically while Prue just stared disapprovingly at Phoebe.

"What?" Phoebe asked, feigning ignorance. She sighed before elaborating. "What is the problem? She likes him, he likes her."

"The problem is, it's none of our business." Prue answered.

"I, I've got to go now, so thanks for calling though… Yeah, I gotta go to work… I'll be there all day… all night. Yep, gotta go, bye." Piper quickly hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief. She stalked back to her seat glaring daggers at Phoebe all the while.

Phoebe irritably sat her own cup of coffee down. "Okay, you know what? It's your life, if you wanna be a nun, then Godspeed." Phoebe allowed.

"Thank you." Piper gratified before turning back to Prue and Paige. "Now back to our warlock crisis. Why do we think they're after, what's his name again?" She wondered curiously.

"Brendan and I don't know since we couldn't find him last night. But I've seen him at the church before and I'm hoping that the parish priest can help." Prue explained thoughtfully.

Paige lightly slapped the table, gaining her sisters' attention. "Check this. The Rowe Coven. Is his last name Rowe?" Paige inquired.

Prue shrugged slightly. "Not sure. Why?"

"Well, the Rowe Coven has their own prophecy. A triad like the Charmed Ones prophecy… at least before I changed it." Paige paraphrased the page in the book. "This picture just sorta looks like the two guys we saw at the church." She continued.

"Interesting but I don't know many warlocks that work at a church to become a priest." Piper pointed out casually.

Paige shrugged. "He could be under cover or something." Paige suggested.

"Maybe, but whatever his deal is, you better hope he doesn't tell anyone about your powers or we'll have bigger problems than just warlocks." Piper reminded them.

"Yeah, but I don't think he will." Prue argued lightly. "There's something in his eyes. I don't know, it seemed like he wasn't surprised by it." She tried to explain. Prue suddenly stood up and grabbed her bag. "Alright, I gotta go. I'll call you guys if I find out anything." She promised.

"Do you want us to go with you?" Piper questioned.

Prue smirked as she grabbed a cup of coffee. "You have to work, remember?" She quipped.

Piper rolled her eyes but allowed Prue to leave. The ringing phone broke the resulting silence and Phoebe moved to get up to answer it. "No! Don't you dare answer that. Sit down." Piper ordered. Phoebe obediently sank back into her seat while Paige snorted and orbed out as Phoebe tried to throw her empty coffee cup at her younger sister. Piper glared and froze the cup and dropped her head into her hands trying to figure out what she had done to deserve those two as sisters.

~PO4~

The Church

About twenty minutes after leaving the Manor, Prue walked into the church and scoured the area for one of the priests. Particularly Father Austin as he was the only one she really knew. The Halliwells weren't particularly religious, but they had a lot of respect for the church. Not to mention, Andy had always been close to Father Austin which was why Prue sorta knew him. Father Austin was the same priest that had been with Brendan the night before, not that Prue would know that. She spotted the older priest lighting some candles along a table and slowly approached him.

"Excuse me? Father Austin?" Prue asked quietly. She didn't know what it was, but there was always something about the church that made it seem disrespectful to be loud.

Father Austin turned away from lighting the candles upon hearing his name. "Yes?" He prompted.

"Hi. My name's Prue Halliwell…" She began, politely shaking Father Austin's hand. "… My sister helped coordinate the food for last night." Prue explained.

"Piper, of course." Father Austin realized, very easily recognizing the family resemblance. "I'm very grateful to her, it was a wonderful evening…" He appreciated before letting his eyes flicker to the other side of the church. "… Except for what happened in here." Father Austin lamented.

"Actually, that's why I'm here. Do you know someone named Brendan?" Prue inquired as he turned back to her. "I think he was one of the volunteers…" Prue supplied.

Father Austin nodded in answer. "I know Brendan very well." He admitted before frowning faintly. "You don't think he had anything to do with this?" He wondered.

Prue hastily shook her head in assurance. "No, no, no, no, no. Um, but I did see two other men trying to hurt him." She revealed, but upon seeing the concern grow on Father

Austin's face, continued. "I mean, he's fine. He got away alright, but I don't think they're gonna stop trying."

"He always said they'd come." Father Austin revealed with a sigh.

Prue tilted her head to the side curiously. "Excuse me?" She asked in confusion.

"Nothing." Father Austin hastily dismissed. "It's just something I know Brendan's been wrestling with his whole life." He elaborated but cryptically.

Prue was silent for a moment as she thought about the situation. "Do you know where I might be able to find him?" She questioned a little hesitantly.

Father Austin narrowed his eyes in uncertainty. "Why do you want to?" Father Austin inquired.

"I think he's in trouble and I might be able to help him." Prue explained.

"You?" Father Austin repeated. "How?" He pressed, thoroughly surprised.

Prue bit her lip slightly and took a moment to figure out what to say. "I can't really tell you that, Father, I'm sorry. It's kind of personal. I just need to ask you to trust me." Prue breathed a soft sigh of relief when Father Austin agreed.

~PO4~

Quake

"So the lunch rush is almost over and then you're closed until dinner, right?" Phoebe asked as Piper walked around her to the cash register.

"Yeah, why?" Piper wondered distractedly, pulling out the credit card that was in the bill folder. She hastily swiped the card and glanced at Phoebe from the corner of her eyes.

Phoebe shrugged nonchalantly. "Just curious." She lied easily and changed the subject in order to avoid suspicion. "Have you heard from Prue yet?" Phoebe questioned.

Piper slid the card back into the bill folder. "No, not officially. She's going to meet Brendan now." Piper answered. Her eyes flickered to Phoebe to find her younger sister staring at her. "What? Why are you staring at me?" She demanded nervously. Staring always creeped her out.

Phoebe sighed dramatically and continued staring. "Because I'm worried about you." She admitted.

"Oh, Phoebe, don't start." Piper pleaded with a roll of her eyes.

"No, Piper, something's up." Phoebe insisted. "You're turning down dates with a guy that you like, extolling the virtues of convent living, you've been working double shifts three times a week. This is not the Piper I know and I'm worried." Phoebe exclaimed.

Piper gently placed her hand comfortingly on her sister's shoulder. "Don't be. Everything is fine." She assured.

"I would like a glass of Calera Jensen, please. '93 if you've got it." Josh's loud voice came from behind Piper and Phoebe, causing them both to turn around to face him.

Piper hesitated, her eyes widened slightly. "Josh." She greeted.

"Good start. You recognize me." Josh replied sarcastically.

"What are you doing here?" Piper asked sweetly before quickly glaring back at Phoebe. "Phoebe!" She hissed under her breath.

"What?" Phoebe breathed back, feigning ignorance.

Piper hastily turned back to Josh. "This is such a surprise." She went on, plastering a wide smile on her face.

"Well, I'll tell you what. I'm just gonna cut right to the chase here." He began. "Do you wanna get all hot and sweaty with me?" Josh queried. He smirked when Piper's jaw dropped in disbelief and Phoebe snorted. "I'm kidding, kidding." Josh assured her quickly. "I'm on my way to the gym and thought since I can't buy you dinner we could, um, work out together." Josh suggested hopefully.

Piper stared at him for a few moments before grabbing the bill folder she'd been working on and jumping from her seat. "I'll be right back." She stated, taking off before anyone could say anything.

Phoebe frowned and followed. "Uh, so will I." Phoebe added over her shoulder.

Piper dropped the bill folder on the table for the customers and turned on Phoebe. "I'm gonna kill you." She threatened, spinning around and stalking off again.

"Why? A little exercise, a nice steam, a trip to the juice bar, what could it hurt?" Phoebe pressed innocently.

"My job. I'm at work. I can't just up and leave." Piper snapped.

"Okay, well, I could baby sit for you while you're gone." Phoebe offered.

Piper shook her head immediately. "The restaurant? I don't think so." She returned.

Phoebe sighed and threw her hands in the air. "What? It's not like anything's going to happen. You said it yourself. You're closed until dinner. I'll even call Paige to help baby sit."

She pleaded. "Oh come on, it's just a work out. The worse-case scenario: you're in better shape by the time to check into the nunnery."

"Not a chance, Pheebs, so just drop it. I'm gonna go check on Prue. I suggest you make Josh leave before I get back." Piper snapped, disappearing inside of the kitchen to use the phone.

Phoebe frowned and closed her eyes for a moment before letting them flicker over to an anxious Josh. She forced a smile for him and gave him a one-minute-gesture. "Paige."

Phoebe called under her breath as she stepped behind the bar. She only had to wait a few moments as Paige orbed into a nearby storage room. Phoebe glanced around the room when Paige stuck her head out and once she'd concluded that no one was paying them any attention she waved for Paige to come out.

Clutching the Book of Shadows tightly against her chest, Paige dashed behind the bar with Phoebe and dropped the book from sight of anyone that wasn't behind the bar with them. "Your talk didn't work?" Paige guessed.

"Nope. Did you find a spell?" Phoebe asked softly.

Paige shrugged uncertainly. "Well, no, but I did find a page in the book about writing your own spells. It's really quite simple. First you say what is desired and then what is lacking…" Paige began while flipping the pages until she found the one she was looking for. "Here… so I went out on a limb and attempted to write one. I say it's worth a shot."

She explained, an excited gleam in her dark brown eyes. Phoebe nodded silently in support so Paige pulled the small piece of paper out.

"Ready?" Phoebe inquired eagerly.

"Yep!" Paige agreed.

"Our sister's guard that is too high  
We ask you now to nullify  
So that she might pursue her heart's desire  
This, we two sisters have conspired."

They chanted together. They looked around to see if anyone had noticed but everyone was going about their own business. Before they could wonder too long whether it had worked, Piper exited the kitchen and advanced toward them. Paige had just enough time to thrust the book in the supply cabinet next to them.

"Okay, before you say anything, I will go, but only if it will get you to shut up…. And if Paige stays." Piper proposed with narrowed eyes.

Phoebe nodded in understanding. "It will and she will." She promised.

"Good." Piper muttered. She glanced at Paige in confirmation before stalking off to the back of the restaurant. Phoebe grinned and gave the waiting Josh a thumbs up sign.

"Thank you." Josh mouthed gratefully.

"You're welcome." Phoebe mouthed back. Then she turned back to Paige and the two high-fived.

~PO4~

The Stables

Brendan reached up and helped a young girl down from the back of a horse she had been riding. He carefully sat her down on the ground and kneeled in front of her. "Are you sure you've never ridden a horse before?" He asked.

"I've never even seen a horse before!" The little girl exclaimed. "Except on television." She amended.

"Well, you're a natural at it. Keep your grades up and maybe you can come riding again." Brendan encouraged.

The little girl's eyes widened in excitement. "Promise?" She grinned all the wider when Brendan nodded. The little girl looked down and started to try and re-tie her shoe when her eyes landed on a huge spider crawling up the leg of her pants. "A spider! Kill it!" She screamed.

"Oh no. He's just trying to find his way home. That's all." Brendan explained, carefully scooping the spider off onto his hand. He held it up so the little girl could see it better.

"Besides, all life is precious to God, you know…" He continued, not noticing as Prue came up to be in hearing range of him and the little girl. "Here, don't be afraid. Trust me. Here you go." Brendan assured, giving the spider to her. Only then did he look up to see Prue watching them. "Uh, why don't you take him to the stables and set him free. I'll be right there." He watched as the little girl left before turning to face Prue.

"You're braver than me." Prue admitted, her eyes following the little girl's departure.

Brendan ignored the statement and narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Prue. "How did you find me?" He demanded.

"Father Austin told me that you would be here." Prue answered and Brendan nodded slightly. "We need to talk." She added, advancing a step toward him.

"Look, uh…." Brendan trailed off not knowing her name.

"Prue." She supplied helpfully.

"Prue…" Brendan repeated, nodding to himself. "If you're worried about my telling anybody about your secret, you don't have to. It's safe with me." He promised.

Prue smiled gratefully and ran a careful hand through her hair. "Yeah, well, that's good to know but why? I mean, most people would be pretty freaked out if they saw what you saw." She pointed out casually.

"I'm not like most people." Brendan countered.

Prue laughed softly. "Yeah, I know… most people aren't attacked by warlocks."

Brendan turned away from Prue and got on the horse the little girl had been riding. "I don't wanna talk about that." Brendan replied with a tone of finality.

"Okay." Prue allowed, turning around and walking up to one of the stable caretakers that was brushing out a horse. "Ah, hi. I'm just gonna borrow this for a minute." She stated as much as asked.

"Sure, go ahead." The caretaker stepped back as Prue swung her leg over the horse. She lightly nudged the horse into a gallop as Brendan was already heading out of the stable and onto the trail. She quickly caught up and even passed Brendan.

"Hey, wait up!" Brendan called after her, speeding his own horse up until he was right next to her and they both slowed the horses to a walk. "If you keep your grades up maybe you can come riding again too." He joked.

"Oh, you promise?" Prue laughed, going along with the joke.

Brendan laughed and glanced toward Prue. "Who are you anyway?" He wondered curiously.

Prue smirked, turning her own gaze on him. "Oh, well, that's not fair, I asked you first." Prue sulked, flashing a smile at the end to show she was just playing.

"I'm not quite sure I know the answer to that I'm afraid." Brendan finally answered.

"Well, as far as I can see, you're too good to be true. I mean, church volunteer, great with kids, loves horses, spiders…" Prue listed a little surprised.

"Not all spiders. I hate black widows." Brendan disagreed.

Prue rolled her eyes playfully. "That's a good thing." She allowed. They fell silent for a moment and Prue kept glancing over at Brendan.

"What?" Brendan asked upon noticing.

"Brendan, you're in danger. Serious danger." Prue began hesitantly.

Brendan sighed loudly as the conversation shifted back to the warlocks. "I know." He admitted.

Prue suddenly looked really confused. "You know? How do you know?" She questioned only to receive no answer. "I can help you." She insisted.

"No, you can't. You're lucky they didn't hurt you, they could have killed you and your sister last night." Brendan argued.

"Who could have? Who are they?" Prue inquired.

Brendan shrugged slightly. "It doesn't matter. After tomorrow, I'll be safe from them forever."

"What happens tomorrow?" Prue wondered aloud, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"I become a priest." Brendan answered, nudging his horse into a trot while Prue pulled hers back to a halt.

There was a glow of blue light around Prue that lasted for the slightest of seconds. It faded as quickly as it came and she suddenly looked around confused. She glanced behind her before hesitantly nudging her horse after Brendan.

~PO4~

Rock Climbing Station

Piper stared up in disbelief at the rock-climbing wall that Josh had led her to before lowering her gaze doubtfully at the equipment that weighed her down. She could already tell that this was a disaster waiting to happen, but when Josh stepped up for his turn, Piper had no choice but to follow. Piper had made it about halfway up before she really started to feel the burn. Not to mention, Prue had been horseback riding! Which, quite frankly was way more romantic and preferable than working out the muscles that she never used.

"Ugh… a little sweat, a nice steam, trip to the juice bar… I'm gonna kill you, Phoebe." She muttered angrily to herself between large gulps of air. She paused, shutting her eyes tight when Josh glided down to stop next to her. He'd obviously already made it to the top. Piper hesitantly opened her eyes and forced a shaky smile to him as she really concentrated on holding on for dear life.

"How ya doin'?" Josh asked cheerfully, forcing Piper to actually turn some focus on him.

Piper forced a laugh for him. "Great, never better." She lied.

"You're lookin' great. Come on, I can't believe you've never done this before." He encouraged, flashing a charming smile.

"Uh, yeah, well, believe it." Piper replied, nervously glancing down for a moment.

Josh seemed to notice the wide-eyed look that followed her glance down. "Do you want me to keep you company on the way up?" Josh offered.

Piper shook her head hastily. "No, no. I'll meet you… I'll meet you down there." She answered.

"Alright, I'll see you in a few." Josh remarked. With that he allowed himself to glide down the wall back to the safety of the ground.

Piper rolled her eyes and grabbed at the next highest hold on the wall and tried to pull herself up. Her foot slipped and her other hand didn't clasp another hold quick enough. She screamed as she fell from the wall, plummeting toward the ground.

Luckily for her, Josh reached out and was able to catch her before she actually could hit the ground. "Gotcha." He announced.

Piper shakily stared up at him. "Wow. Talk about falling for a guy." She joked, quickly pulling away from him. The moment he had sat her down, Piper threw her hands out and froze the area. "I can't believe I said that." Piper exclaimed, pulling her phone out of her pocket and dialing the number to Phoebe.

"Hello, Quake." Phoebe's voice answered.

"Phoebe?" Piper asked even though she knew it was her.

~PO4~

"Hey, Piper, how's it goin'?" Phoebe wondered. Her shoulder was holding the phone while she was desperately trying to stop the flow of water that was spewing from the sink with her hands.

Paige could just be seen under the sink, completely drenched, searching for the water shut-off valve. "Piper? Ask her where the shut-off valve is!" She snapped in irritation.

Phoebe waved her hand for Paige to be quiet and was just able to hear Piper's "Bad. Real bad" answer. "Uh, really, why? Cliff notes version will do." She added as she grabbed a large towel and tried to keep the overflowing sink from getting any fuller… to no avail.

"You wanna know why? I'll tell you why. Because we shared 'the look.'" Piper explained.

"The look?" Phoebe repeated.

Paige had come out from under the sink and made a grab for the phone which Phoebe promptly slapped her hand away in retaliation. "Phoebe, give me the phone." She ordered.

"Go away." Phoebe mouthed.

Piper was waving her free hand around dramatically. "You know, the look that precedes the kiss. You look at each other at the same time, you smile at each other at the same time…" Piper elaborated in frustration.

"Well, that's great. I knew you'd have a good time." Phoebe gushed. At that moment, Paige lunged again for the phone, causing Phoebe to slip and they both tumbled to the water-covered floor. The phone fell from Phoebe's hand and landed in the water. Phoebe and Paige both struggled for it, trying to see though the faucet busted even more throwing water into their eyes.

"No, Phoebe, this is exactly what I did not want to happen!" Piper sighed, suddenly becoming very interested in the background noise. "Is that water I hear running?"

Phoebe was the one successful to grab the phone again. "Water?" She repeated, shrugging to herself. "I don't know. Maybe just a little…" She trailed off as Paige finally snatched the phone from her.

"Piper, where the hell is the water shut-off valve?" Paige demanded while Phoebe sighed in defeat and dropped her head to the ground.

~PO4~

Piper just hung up and felt like bashing her head into the rock climbing wall. She slowly turned back to face Josh and unfroze the area.

Josh stared at her hand in confusion where the phone suddenly was. "Uh, where'd you get the phone?" He wondered.

Piper glanced down at the phone in her hand. "Uh, Phoebe, just called, there's an emergency at the restaurant. I gotta go." She explained, stepping up and kissing him on the cheek before turning away. "Um, I had a really great time. Thanks." She appreciated.

"You're welcome." Josh called after her, running a hand through his hair as she disappeared.

~PO4~

The Church

An ominous yell reverberated through the nearly empty stone walls of the church, sending shivers down Prue's spine. She raced through the hallways into the main room to find a warlock leaning over the motionless body of Father Austin. Her jaw dropped when the warlock let out another yell and transformed back into his human form.

Brendan stared up at her from his position next to Father Austin. "Prue…" He realized, inwardly cursing. With one last look at her, he took off in the opposite direction.

Prue dropped down next to Father Austin and felt for a pulse. Relief shot through her temporarily. She spun upon hearing footsteps come toward her.

"Dear God…" One of the nuns gasped at the sight. Another nun just stared in shock.

"Call 911." Prue ordered before taking off after Brendan. "Hurry." She called over her shoulder. Prue caught up to him just outside in one of the gardens. She narrowed her eyes and telekinetically tripped him. She slowed down and advanced upon the fallen Brendan.

Brendan hastily jumped to his feet and held his hands up in a sign of peace. "Prue, wait. You don't understand." He pleaded.

"Don't I?" Prue snapped.

"I didn't hurt Father Austin. I found him like that, I swear." Brendan promised.

"Before or after you turned into a warlock?" Prue demanded.

Brendan stared at her in frustration. "Before. When I saw what they did to him I was crazed. The rage turned me into a warlock. Look, don't believe me. I don't care. Just at least let me call the paramedics, please. Don't let him die. I'm begging you."

Prue was silent as her eyes scoured over him, calculating. "They've already been called." She replied softly.

"Thank you." Brendan gratified in relief.

"Do you actually expect for me to believe that you're a good warlock?" Prue asked in disbelief.

Brendan shook his head immediately. "No. There's no such thing." He allowed. He sighed as it obviously piqued her interest. "I can explain it to you if you let me. I can make you understand. I won't hurt you. I need your help." Brendan admitted.

"For what?" Prue inquired hesitantly.

"To stop the other warlocks. To stop my brothers." He answered. Prue turned distractedly toward the ambulances and police sirens that were just arriving. There was a moment in which Prue glowed a soft blue and Brendan narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Uh, Prue?" Brendan tried to regain her attention.

Prue blinked as if coming out of a trance but didn't turn her gaze from the red and blue lights. "Hmmm…?"

"My brothers." He reminded shortly.

Prue tilted her head to the side, still entranced with the police scene. "Right… Paige…" She called distantly. A swirl of orbs deposited the youngest Halliwell, complete with drenched clothing and hair, next to Brendan. "Help him." Prue ordered, pointing at Brendan before approaching the other part of the church.

Paige glanced in confusion from a walking off Prue to an equally confused looking Brendan. "Prue, where are you going?" Paige demanded. She was so not in the mood for this right now.

"To see Andy." Was Prue's short reply.

~PO4~

Andy and Darryl followed as Father Austin was being wheeled toward the ambulance that would take him to the hospital. Andy's blue eyes stayed transfixed on his long-time priest while Darryl was just coming to fill his partner in on the information gathered.

"I've got a couple eyewitnesses. Two nuns. One saw someone she ID'd as Brendan Rowe next to the fallen priest. A woman arrived and Brendan ran from the scene. The woman told them to call 911 and went after Brendan…" Darryl began but trailed off when he noticed that Andy was visibly upset. "You alright?" He questioned.

Andy took a moment before he slowly shook his head. "No, I'm not. Father Austin's my priest. He gave me my first communion. What kind of animal would do this?" Andy returned, his voice radiating his anger.

"You wanna follow him to the hospital?" Darryl suggested as much as asked.

"No. I wanna catch the scum that did this to him…" Andy replied, turning toward Darryl as the ambulance drove off. "Find the woman and maybe we can locate where Brendan went. Do we have a description?"

Darryl looked down at his notebook to read off what the nuns had described. "Let's see, dark brown hair, blue eyes, about 5'3'' or 4''." He read off. When he looked up he focused on Prue over Andy's shoulder as she was coming toward them. His gaze flickered back to the description and then back to Prue, silently putting the pieces together. "Found her." Darryl announced, nodding in Prue's direction.

Andy appeared confused for a moment until he turned to where Darryl was hinting and saw Prue. "Dark brown hair, blue eyes, 5'3''… Prue." He agreed with a sigh. He left Darryl to meet Prue a few feet away from everyone else. "What are you doing here, Prue?" Andy demanded when he was far enough away that their conversation would be private.

"Trying to help." Prue answered with a hint of defiance. She looked around him toward the street as the ambulance disappeared around a turn. "Did they get Father Austin? Is he… Is he okay?" Prue asked nervously.

"He's probably in his sixties and has just been brutally attacked. He is hardly okay." Andy snapped. He took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking again. "Sorry." He apologized softly. "Look, just tell me where Brendan Rowe went." Andy sighed, sounding very tired.

Prue hesitated. "Um, why are you asking me?" She dodged.

"Because two nuns described you fairly well. Said Brendan took off when he saw you and that you told them to call 911 before running after him. Do you deny it?" Andy replied with a roll of his eyes as the dance began.

"No." Prue admitted. Andy appeared surprised by her admission so early into the informal interrogation. He waved his hand, silently prompting her to continue. Prue bit her lip and shook her head. "I don't think you'll listen." She mumbled, almost inaudibly.

"How many times do I have to assure you that I'm here for you…?" Andy returned sharply in his impatience.

Prue flinched and glanced up at him apologetically. "He's not the one that did it." She finally answered.

Andy ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Brendan Rowe has been ID'd at the scene…"

"… Kneeling next to the body." Prue finished his sentence, cutting Andy short. "Not hurting Father Austin." She pointed out.

"If he wasn't guilty, then why did he run?" Andy argued.

Prue narrowed her eyes defiantly. "Because he was scared!" She retorted. There was a tense silence that fell between them. Prue carefully lowered her voice when she spoke next.

"You guys caught me next to the body of Jaime and holding the murder weapon. Are you saying that I killed him?" She challenged.

"You were proven innocent." Andy countered stubbornly.

"Then how come it is so hard for you to believe in people being in the wrong place at the wrong time?" Prue countered. Her blue eyes suddenly filled with hurt. "Unless… you actually think I did kill Jaime and just got off the hook." She went on, her voice cold.

"No." Andy snapped, agitated by the turn of this conversation. "I don't think you killed anyone…" He added, a little softer and more sympathetic. Another silence, but a little less awkward fell until Andy continued. "Fine, then who did hurt Father Austin?" He pressed.

"Brendan's brothers." Prue answered confidently.

Andy stared at her for a moment. "His brothers? Why?" He challenged when she didn't immediately go into any details.

Prue shrugged thoughtfully. "The same reason they showed up here last night and attacked Brendan."

"How do you know they attacked Brendan?" Andy questioned, now a little more curious at Prue's answers.

Prue smiled faintly as she noticed Andy's hostility dissipate into curiosity. "Because I was here last night." She replied. "You know, there was a food pantry provided by Quake…"

She explained for his benefit. Prue realized Andy still wasn't completely convinced and she sighed softly. "Alright. I'll just go find them and prove it." She decided suddenly. Prue turned around and began to walk off.

Andy hastily reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her. "No, you're not. If you think I'm going to let you go off after a couple of crazed men then…" 

"I can handle it." Prue interrupted, struggling to pull her arm from his grip.

Andy stubbornly held on and actually took the time to study her strange behavior that was now becoming all the more apparent. It was subtle things that he didn't really notice at first, but were now adding together. First, he'd learned more from her in the ten minutes they had been speaking than he had in the last nine months put together. Second, she wasn't one to unnecessarily involve herself in dangerous activities. Third, she'd just admitted that she could 'handle' two people she'd claimed to have attacked both Brendan and Father Austin. Though he had been suspicious for a while now, Prue had never even come close to admitting such a thing. Something in her eyes told him that it wasn't all pride and she had some reason to believe she could take them on. "Prue… Stop!" Andy ordered in which Prue reluctantly quit struggling. "I'll tell you what. You'll come with me back to the station and we'll investigate what you have suggested while Darryl continues to investigate Brendan. Deal?" He offered.

Prue seemed to think it over for a moment before nodding. "Sure. I hope you don't mind being proven wrong." She teased.

Andy rolled his eyes, but a smirk played at the edges of his mouth. "Why does it matter to you so much if you're right?" He wondered curiously.

"Because it's my desire." Prue answered.

Andy narrowed his eyes calculatingly at her choice of words. "You have a desire to pick a fight with two crazed men that would hurt you?" He asked with false seriousness.

Prue smiled in such a way that Andy thought was rather seductive. "Not exactly." She admitted cryptically. Andy took the resulting silence to ponder Prue's more revealing change in attitude as he led her to fill Darryl in on the next step. He couldn't help but wonder what he was getting himself into.

~PO4~

The Park

Paige had obediently orbed Brendan to the park where police wouldn't have thought to search for him at. She had her arms crossed and was glaring dangerously at Brendan, who self-consciously took a step away from her. "Look, I'm sorry, but I'm not getting involved with your warlock crisis. I have enough warlock problems of my own right now." Paige was arguing.

Brendan rolled his eyes in frustration. "I need your help. As I told your sister, the Charmed Ones must stop my brothers before they trick me into hurting someone." He pleaded harshly.

"Okay, Brendan… I have no idea why Prue felt the need to keep you alive. She obviously has a one-track mind and doesn't know what she's doing if she just walked off to talk with her ex-boyfriend. Now, I have just been through hell trying to run a restaurant for a couple hours. I'm soaking wet and on top of that I have a warlock ex-boyfriend that is bent on killing me. I cannot help you right now." Paige insisted. She took several deep breaths to recover from her rather long rant.

Brendan sighed loudly, his hands clenching at his sides. "My brothers will do anything to trick me and you and your sisters will have even more problems if they succeed." Brendan pressed. "Descending from an ancient warlock line, intent on furthering the Rowe Coven, three brothers destined to become the most powerful source of evil the world has ever known. That is what will happen!"

Paige narrowed her eyes, regarding him with guarded curiosity. "So you are the Rowe Coven? The evil Charmed Ones." She realized. Brendan nodded and Paige threw her hands up in defeat. "Alright, what do you propose I help you do?" She asked shortly.

"I tried to break the chain and make amends for all my family has done…" Brendan began.

"By becoming a priest… right." Paige guessed unconvinced.

"Embracing God in such a way is the only way to get rid of my warlock nature forever. The only way to stop the Rowe Coven." Brendan paused, ignoring Paige's tone and turning his attention on the setting sun. "Only my past finally caught up." He admitted.

Paige bit her lip uncertainly as a flicker of sympathy shot through her. She was silent as she studied him. Closing her eyes to better focus she was hit with a myriad of feelings. Paige was no longer aware of her surroundings as she felt the want to be good, the hope that he could forsake everything he had been taught by his family, the despair that he was going to lose this battle one way or another, and the suppressed but ever present evil just waiting for it's chance to break through. "Damn it!" Paige cursed as she brought herself back to reality. She found Brendan staring at her in confusion. "I hate being so sympathetic." She groaned in explanation. He smiled faintly while Paige took a moment to  
gather her thoughts again. "So what are we going to do?" She wondered.

Brendan's smile faded a little. "You have to get your sisters together. I have to kill my brothers before they trick me into killing someone else and then you'll have to kill me." He explained sadly.


	36. When Bad Warlocks Turn Good (Part 2)

San Francisco Police Department

Andy glanced up from his computer as Prue came back into the room and sat down in the chair next to him. He raised his eyebrows curiously, a silent question. After all, she'd been on the phone for awhile. Long enough for the search on Greg and Paul to come through.

"Phoebe." Prue answered his question. "Paige called her and she called me for a little help, but they were able to get in touch with Piper instead." She went on, but noted the confusion that was still in his eyes. "Uh, did you get anything?" Prue changed the subject before he could question her further.

Andy appeared a little reluctant to allow such an easy subject change, but relented so as not to push her away. Then he'd never figure anything out. "Well, Greg and Paul Rowe checked into a hotel here in San Francisco a few days ago. The address is here." He passed her a paper that she quickly scanned over. "We have enough suspicion to get a warrant approved. Then we can search their room. See if we find anything and if we must, talk to them." Andy replied, leaning casually back in his chair as he waited for the aforementioned warrant to come through.

Prue nodded in acknowledgement. "Awesome. How long will we have to wait?" She wondered.

"Shouldn't be long." Andy assured her and the two fell silent for several moments. He glanced away at his computer, silently rereading the little information there was on the Rowe brothers. When he looked back Prue was absently twiddling with a pen in a bored manner. Andy smirked and spun his chair around so that he faced Prue. "So you said you tripped Brendan outside the church…" He started.

Prue frowned and stared over at Andy in a slightly suspicious manner. "Yep." She answered hesitantly.

"The nuns said you ran after him. How'd you trip him from behind?" Andy questioned, trying to appear casual though he was very eagerly awaiting her answer.

"It's a secret." Prue replied with a knowing smile. She smiled wider when Andy rolled his eyes having should have expected such an answer from her.

The ringing phone interrupted any further conversation and Andy quickly picked it up. A few moments of scattered conversation later and Andy was on his feet, pulling his jacket on. "We have our warrant." He announced, offering Prue a hand that she readily took. "Now, just so we get this straight… If things get remotely tense between us and the Rowe brothers, you listen to what I tell you to do. We don't want anyone to get hurt." He ordered as he pulled Prue to her feet.

"Sure." Prue agreed though if that situation arose she knew she wouldn't honor it. She also knew Andy knew it too. She saw the flash of worry in his eyes and offered a smile in hopes to dissipate it a little. "I can take care of myself." Prue insisted, following him as they went to pick up the warrant and then to the certain hotel room.

 

Greg and Paul's Room

Paul moved away from the preparations they had in store for his youngest brother and approached the chair that Greg was currently sitting in. "Everything's ready." Paul reported, his voice soft so as not to disturb the eldest Rowe brother.

"Good… he's coming." Greg assured, a grin forming on his features. "This is amazing. Just at his approach, my power quickens. It's as if I'm reaching out for him, for completion.

Do you feel it too?" He demanded to Paul. They both turned as the door to their room opened and Brendan slipped inside. Greg was on his feet by the time Brendan had closed the door. "Brother." Greg greeted, holding his hand out for Brendan to take.

"I'm here to kill you, Greg." Brendan stated without emotion and making no move to take Greg's offered hand.

Greg nodded in approval. "Well, I'm glad. Anything less and I'd be disappointed." He praised. He slowly walked away from Brendan to a table where he picked up an athame. "But first, you're going to need this." Greg turned back and tossed it so that it passed just by Brendan and was imbedded in the wall.

Brendan eyed the knife suspiciously so Paul took a step forward. "It's okay, Brendan, take it." Paul prompted.

With narrow-eyed determination Brendan pulled the knife the out. "I know this wasn't your doing, Paul, but I'm going to have to kill you too." He announced.

"But me first, right?" Greg guessed, clearly eager. As Brendan prepared to throw the knife at Greg, the eldest brother jumped forward and threw Brendan back into the wall.

Brendan spun back around and began slashing furiously at Greg, who nimbly dodged the blows. "Yes, come on, you're feeling it now. Come on, I dare ya'. You're almost there! In your blood, this is us, your birthright." Greg provoked.

Brendan suddenly reached out and grabbed the front of Greg's shirt. With a powerful toss, Greg was thrown to the floor at the back of the room. Brendan advanced, ripping back the curtains that obscured the view. He froze once he saw why. There was a woman tied to the table amongst a myriad of candles. "What the hell?" He whispered, entranced by the scene in front of him.

With a wave of Greg's hand, the candles were lit up around her, further appealing to Brendan. "Smell that, Brendan? It's damp, intoxicating. But you need to kill. Oh, yes. That's it."

~PO4~

Piper and Phoebe had just arrived outside the hotel where Paige was nervously waiting for them. "We got here as soon as we could. We just couldn't convince Prue to show up for some reason." Piper stated.

"Yeah, there is something wrong with that girl today." Phoebe commented, remembering her phone call conversation with Prue. She had just kept going on about Andy.

"Worry about Prue later. What matters is that we're still the Power of Three." Paige snapped, waving for her sisters to follow her. "Come on. I don't want to have to vanquish Brendan too."

Piper tilted her head in confusion. "But you said on the phone he was a warlock." She pointed out.

Paige nodded quickly. "I know he is, but I can feel that he is good. If his brothers don't get to him, he can be saved." She explained, leading the way inside the building.

~PO4~

Brendan had the knife poised over the chest of the woman where a pentagram had been tattooed. Greg and Paul were on either side of Brendan, eagerly awaiting the inevitable.

"One clean thrust and you're both a peace. Finish it." Greg ordered.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige burst into the room at that moment. "Brendan, stop!" Paige called. She threw her hand out and called the athame to her hand where it obediently appeared in as swirl of lights.

Paul responded by flinging his hand out and a shield pushed the three sisters back to the other side of the room. Greg irritably stalked after them, but Paul ran up and stopped him. "Three witches. We can't defeat them without Brendan and we haven't got him yet." Paul argued.

Greg silently agreed and threw a punch at Brendan to let out his frustration before following Paul out the back door.

The sisters had regrouped and ran back in. Piper and Phoebe ran straight to the woman while Paige went to Brendan.

"It's okay, you're safe." Piper soothed to the woman as she hastily untied her from the table. Phoebe reached out to take the blindfold off, but Piper's hand stopped her. "No, she'll see us. We'll call for help." She explained and Phoebe nodded in agreement.

"Is that before or after we call Prue and tell her to get her ass over here and help us?" Phoebe asked sarcastically. Phoebe's jaw dropped as she turned to Paige to find the youngest Halliwell helping Brendan up. "Paige, he's a warlock." She exclaimed.

Paige glared and grabbed Piper's hand while carefully supporting Brendan with her other hand. Piper shrugged and took Phoebe's hand. The three sisters and one warlock orbed out of the room.

~PO4~

Andy pulled the car to a halt and hastily threw the door open and stepped out. Prue was quick to follow as he approached where Darryl and several other officers were congregating. Halfway to the hotel, Andy had gotten a call from Darryl about an emergency in one of the rooms. He'd flipped the emergency lights on and sped the last half.

One of the officers stepped forward to block Prue from coming any closer, but Andy flashed his police mark. "She's with me." He stated gravely and the officer reluctantly backed away.

Darryl heard his partner's voice and approached. "Trudeau, we had a tip of a woman being held captive in room 326. You're going through the front, I'll be on your left, and backup will follow." He explained while Prue pulled the Rowe brother's address paper out and quickly scanned for the room number.

"I need to come too." Prue announced as soon as Darryl had walked away to fit in a few last minute preparations. She pointed enthusiastically at the room number, fully expecting

Andy's disbelief. "It's their room." Prue added.

Andy was pulling his gun out and heading for his position. "No, you're not. This is police business. You're staying out here." He disagreed.

Prue grabbed hold of Andy's arm, forcing him to look at her. "No, I need to go in. This isn't just police." She argued.

For once, Andy ignored her admission and continued forward. He sighed when Prue stubbornly trudged after him. "Mike, make sure she stays." Andy ordered the lower-ranked officer as he pointed at an indignant Prue.

"Andy…" Prue pleaded trying to follow again, but Mike blocked her way and then the officers' plan was set into motion. She forced herself to relax and back away so that Mike turned his attention away from her. As he did, Prue dashed around him and after where Andy had just entered the building.

Several officers moved to stop her, but Darryl, delayed from entering with Andy because of the ruckus, ordered everyone back to their posts. They couldn't afford to have their backup chasing after Prue in case something happened. As much as he hated allowing her to go in Trudeau would just have to deal with her.

When Bad Warlocks Turn Good

The Halliwell Manor

Paige led Brendan into her room with a bundle of blankets that she sat down on the edge of her bed. "Look, you can sleep in here tonight. I'll sleep with Prue." She offered with a faint smile behind her to Brendan.

"Why?" Brendan asked.

"Well, because Phoebe kicks and I think I'm on the best terms with Prue right now anyways." Paige answered truthfully.

Brendan laughed at the welcomed humor. "No, I mean why are you doing this? Why are you beings so kind to me after what I almost did?" He clarified.

"Because you didn't." Paige answered with a shrug.

"Only thanks to you." Brendan pointed out. "They had me. Right where they wanted. I could feel the evil inside taking over. It was so strong, so powerful. If you and your sisters hadn't come in when you did…" He trailed off.

"You wouldn't have hurt her." Paige finished for him.

Brendan shook his head skeptically. "How can you be so sure when I'm not even sure myself?" Brendan wondered softly.

Paige was silent a moment as she thought of the right way to say it. "Because you're a good person, Brendan. Prue saw it… that's why she told me to help you. I feel it… your good side it stronger than your evil side. You just have to fight it until tomorrow and then you're free." She smiled when Brendan appeared reassured.

 

The Hotel

Andy, gun pointed forward and at the ready, carefully made his way down the empty third floor corridor. He scanned the numbers as he passed them. At room 309 he became aware of hurried footsteps coming up behind him. Andy knew it wasn't an officer. They didn't run to catch up. He turned to guard his back and prepared to shoot if need be. The person turned the corner and… Andy lowered his gun. "Prue? What the hell? I told you to stay outside." He snapped in disbelief and anger.

Prue took a moment to catch her breath but her flushed face clearly wasn't fully from physical exertion. "Believe me, you're going to be very happy I came along if you run into them." She returned harshly.

Andy rolled his eyes and reluctantly waved for her to follow. They were being too loud and time could be of the essence. He led the way to room 326 where he took one side of the door while Prue took the other. Andy kicked the door open and his gun led the way in. "San Francisco PD. Drop your weapon!" Andy yelled at the scene before him.

Greg and Paul had come back to tie up the loose ends at their failed attempt to turn their brother. The witches they thought were out of the way and they held no fear for the police. Thus they were here, ready to kill the woman and move the body so as not to raise suspicion. They turned as the door was flung open and the cop yelled, but needless to say they hardly paid him any attention.

A shot rang out as Andy fired at Greg, who was preparing to drive the knife into the woman's heart. The shot was true but did nothing to avert his attention.

"No…" Prue hissed, pushing out from behind Andy and instinctively throwing her hand out. The athame flew from Greg's hands and the attention of the warlocks was now on her.

Prue stared down at her hand in surprise and didn't notice as Paul threw his shield at her to knock her back. Andy grabbed her at the last moment and pulled her out of the way.

The shield slammed into the door where they had previously been standing, knocking it off it's hinges. Prue responded by waving her hand again, this time sending Paul into the wall and crashing down on the furniture against it.

A fireball formed in Greg's hand that he bounced lazily as he advanced toward Prue and Andy. Another shot rang out but Greg didn't even flinch. It was the sounds of many approaching footsteps that made him hesitate. Paul was back on his feet now and calling for Greg to leave. "It's just one witch and several mortals…" Greg argued, his eyes landing on Prue who was being pulled by Andy toward the door. Prue took his moment of distraction to send him flying back with another telekinetic blast from her hand. The footsteps were closer now and Paul grabbed hold of his older brother and pulled him to the back door. Greg very reluctantly followed out just as the backup officers, Darryl  
included, burst into the room. Prue made to chase after them but Andy tightened his hold so she couldn't go anywhere. Everyone, minus Prue, Andy, and Darryl, ran to the victim.

"What happened? We heard shots." Darryl demanded, his eyes scouring over the demolished wall and furniture where Prue had thrown Greg and Paul into and finally resting on the door that was barely hanging onto the wall behind them.

Andy glanced around the room, thinking quickly. "I kicked the door down. They were preparing to kill her with that knife. I warned them, I shot. They tried to dodge against the wall and behind the furniture. They heard the backup and they ran out the back while I was reloading." He explained quickly, hoping to have covered everything. He knew he'd have to be a little more detailed later, but now wasn't the time.

Darryl nodded, seemingly believing the overview. He turned to some other gathered officers. "Search the building and the perimeter." He ordered before turning to another two.

"Take the victim to be looked over." Lastly, Darryl turned back to Andy. "You can take her out. She looks rather shocked." He nodded at Prue, who was rather pale and kept glancing at her hands.

Andy forced a smile, thinking that she wasn't the only one, but he obliged, pulling Prue after him.

~PO4~

Andy was now with the woman that had been the focus of so much excitement this night, leaving Prue with Darryl nearby.

An officer in charge of taking pictures walked by Prue and Darryl only to have Darryl stop him. "Minimal traffic." He explained.

"CSU needs the photos." The officer argued.

"I'll give it to him." Morris offered, taking the camera from him. "The victim's a little shaken up, so give her some air, okay." The officer nodded and left in the other direction.

Another man walked by the two on his way to Andy with a cup of coffee. "Here you go, Inspector." He supplied, handing the cup to Andy.

"Here you go." Andy repeated as he passed it to the young woman across from him.

"Thank you." The woman gratified, shakily taking the cup.

"You okay to talk a little more?" Andy asked gently.

The woman nodded slightly though she appeared hesitant. "Yeah, um, I had just gotten to my car and I was loading groceries in the back… and then… they just came out of nowhere." She trailed off taking a few moments to compose herself.

Andy pulled a picture out of his jacket pocket. "Was this guy, Brendan Rowe, one of them?" He questioned.

"No…" The woman answered after studying the photo. "But I remember them calling one of the other ones that. I was blindfolded and I think they drugged me or something because the next thing I knew I was here." She continued. Her hand trailed up to where the occult symbol had been drawn. "I felt the tip of the knife. He was going to kill me, but she made him stop."

"She?" Andy pressed curiously.

"One of the women that came… um, Paige. And they mentioned calling a Prue… I think her name was Prue… for some help." She explained. Andy hesitantly glanced over where he could just see Prue standing next to Darryl but turned back as the victim went on. "The women left and two of the men came back… There was some fighting or something."

Andy nodded casually. "That was when we came in." He assured her, hoping she wouldn't start asking about the fight. Just in case he decided now was as good a time as any to leave. "Thanks." He appreciated and turned to a nearby officer. 

"Stay with her." Andy ordered. He left and stopped next to Darryl and Prue. "The bastards painted an occult symbol on her chest, a target. She's lucky to still be alive." Andy replied to their questioning stares.

"She ID Brendan Rowe?" Darryl questioned.

"Yeah, said his brothers blindfolded her and brought her here for him to kill." Andy answered with an apologetic look to Prue, who shuffled a little uncomfortably. "I'll be back. I'm taking her home." Andy added with nod at Prue. Darryl agreed and it wasn't until they were well away from the scene that Prue started to speak only to have Andy cut her off.

"Look, Prue. Don't even start with the he's innocent thing."

Prue frowned and crossed her arms stubbornly. "But he could be. She's still alive. That means he didn't kill her." She pointed out.

"Because your sisters showed up and stopped Brendan and then you stopped his brothers the second time when they came to finish the job." Andy retorted.

"My sisters?" Prue repeated in surprise.

"The victim said some women came and stopped them. She heard Paige's name and heard them say they were going to call you for some help." Andy clarified. "Where's your phone?" He asked.

Prue bit her lip nervously. "Left it in the car…" She mumbled unable to contradict him when she didn't really know what had gone on with her sisters.

Andy pulled the car door open and grabbed her phone. "Nine missed calls. Four from Piper and five from Phoebe." He announced as proof. He sighed when he passed the phone back to a rather dejected Prue. "Look, I'm sorry, I know you believe he's innocent, but if he did hurt Father Austin then I'm not going to let him get away with it." Andy stepped away from the door and allowed Prue to drop down into the seat before closing it and getting in the driver's side.

 

The Halliwell Manor

"He was about to drive a knife through that woman's heart." Piper stated coldly, her arms crossed in disapproval as she glared at Paige.

"Yeah, you couldn't have missed that, right?" Phoebe added sarcastically.

Paige rolled her eyes and ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "I know what he almost did, but he didn't! He's still an innocent." Paige insisted.

"No, he's a would-be killer that you brought into our house. Not to mention, he's a warlock. How do you know he's not going to kill us while we're asleep?" Piper snapped.

"Will you guys just shut up for a minute and listen to me?" Paige flared.

Phoebe sighed loudly and waved her hand for Paige to explain. "Fine, why do you think he's an innocent?" She demanded while Piper huffed but otherwise didn't say anything.

Paige also calmed herself a little before speaking. "You had a premonition of him being attacked, Prue believed in him or she wouldn't have left me alone with him, and I can feel that he is good." She listed.

"See, I find things wrong with all of those." Piper spoke up. "First, Phoebe's premonition could have just wanted to lead us to the woman to save. Second, Prue isn't here to pick a side and she's not exactly herself today. Third, you dated a warlock without even realizing it for almost six months." Piper shot back.

"Well, Piper, first that has never happened before. You're just making things up because you don't want me to be right. Second, no matter how weird Prue acts, she would never endanger us… herself maybe, but not us. And third, I had Alex cloaked. I didn't try to read his alignment, but I did this time. Brendan legitimately wants to be saved." Paige yelled.

Phoebe suddenly stepped up between Piper and Paige. "Okay, that is not helping, you guys." She let out a breath of relief when Piper and Paige both took a step away from each other.

"Look, he has been fighting for years to be good and he's almost there. When you were turned into a Wendigo, you didn't last one day and neither did you, Phoebe, when the Woogeyman possessed you. Years, you guys and Brendan only has one more day!" Paige pleaded for them to understand.

Piper still shook her head. "The consequences are too severe. They would become the evil Charmed Ones." She argued.

"There might not be a way to stop them." Phoebe agreed.

"But I changed it… there are four of us and only three of them. That has to mean something." Paige insisted.

"But it might not, Paigey." Phoebe countered sympathetically.

Paige glared once again at her sisters. "I'm going to help him. With or without your help. He wants it and I'm not going to turn him away because you guys are scared of what could happen." She replied coldly. Her sisters gave her skeptical looks. "I know what I'm doing…"

"Paige, are you sure you're not trying to make up for the mistake you made with Alex? I think you are and that it's clouding your judgment." Phoebe remarked softly. The doorbell rang at that moment and Piper stalked off to answer it. Phoebe forced a smile and turned back to Paige. "You know, I don't think that spell worked on her." She laughed in an attempt to lighten the mood. Paige smiled faintly but it didn't reach her eyes.

Piper irritably threw the door open to find Prue on the other side of the door. In her one-track mind due to anger, she didn't notice Andy standing behind Prue at first. "Prue, how many times have I told you not to ignore me when I'm trying to talk to you?" She hissed, grabbing Prue by the arm and pulling her inside. Unaware of Andy, Piper slammed the door in his face.

"Piper… you just shut Andy out." Prue complained, trying to break free so she could open the door.

"Andy?" Piper repeated in confusion just as Phoebe and Paige came in to see what was going on.

Phoebe smiled and waved pleasantly at her eldest sister. "Hey, I see you decided to come back." She joked.

The door was suddenly pushed open as Andy, tired of waiting on someone to open the door for him, took matters into his own hands. "Brought your sister back." Andy stated lightly.

"Thank you so much, Andy. She's been sorely missed." Paige gratified, obviously expecting that Prue would be on her side in their current debate. "Prue, I need to talk to you now." Paige added, pulling Prue from Piper's hands and dragging her toward the kitchen.

"No, you are not brainwashing her." Piper argued indignantly.

Phoebe quickly stepped up before there was another fight while Andy watched curiously and Prue appeared confused. "I will give her an unbiased account and then she can pick."

Phoebe decided, keeping it cryptic as Andy was in the room. Phoebe and a reluctant Prue disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Paige and Piper to glare daggers at each other with Andy.

Andy coughed pointedly to gain their attention and hopefully keep them from killing each other. "You might want to keep a close eye on her before she gets herself into too much trouble." He started with a pointed glance after Prue.

Piper suddenly looked very interested. "Has she been acting weird to you too?" She wondered.

"You could say that." Andy allowed.

"Well, if she's been saying weird stuff, you probably don't want to take it into account much. She's probably had too much to drink." Piper lied casually. Paige snorted, earning another glare from Piper.

Andy had to keep from smirking at the excuse. "Then I highly suggest you keep a close eye on her until she's very sober." He suggested. Piper and Paige thought he was going to leave then, but to their surprise, he stepped closer to them. 

"I need you tell me where Brendan Rowe is." Andy continued seriously.

Before they could answer, Phoebe and Prue came back out of the kitchen. "Prue's on Paige's side." Phoebe announced.

Paige grinned triumphantly. "Ha!" She taunted while Piper frowned all the more.

Andy sighed loudly. "Brendan Rowe. Where is he?" He reminded them.

"What makes you think we know where he is?" Paige wondered.

"Because the victim remembered hearing your name, Paige, and that you guys were going to try and call Prue." Andy answered impatiently. Paige's smile faded uncertainly.

Piper was the one to break the resulting silence. "We don't know where he is, Andy." She replied much to the sisters' surprise. Paige nodded and Phoebe averted her gaze casually.

Andy silently studied them for a few more moments before sighing in defeat. "Fine, but if Father Austin dies it's first-degree-murder and if any of you are involved… I can't look the other way this time." He warned, turning to leave.

"Andy…" Prue started.

He slowly turned back to face her. "You know what I said, Prue… And this time I need you to listen." Andy responded gently. Without further conversation, Andy walked out the door leaving the sisters in an uncertain silence.

~PO4~

The sisters had migrated to the conservatory. Piper and Paige were in a tense silence while Prue was distracted and kept glancing over at the door. Phoebe was positioned so that when Prue suddenly made moves for the door, she could block. After about the fifth time of Prue trying to leave, Phoebe finally broke the silence.

"Okay, stop with the cold shoulder you two. We've got problems that we should be trying to fix." Phoebe ordered and pointedly glanced at Prue. She then looked to Piper for an explanation.

Piper just shrugged. "I can't get anything out of her." She sighed.

Paige rolled her eyes but refrained herself from commenting. "Well, both times we talked to her she went on about Andy, right? And she keeps trying to go after him…" Paige pointed out casually.

"So, Prue, why do you keep trying to follow Andy?" Piper asked, catching on with what Paige was saying.

Prue glared at them as if she resented their treatment of her. "Because I desire to." She answered coldly.

Phoebe shrugged and threw her hands up. "I think she's just gone crazy." Phoebe admitted. However, Paige's mouth formed an 'O' as if she'd just realized something and Piper narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Prue.

"Alright… you guys watch her. I'm gonna go check the book for information on our warlock friends." Piper decided, heading up the stairs.

Paige readily agreed with Piper's decision and turned to Phoebe as soon as she was out of earshot. "Oh my god, Phoebe…" She started softly.

"What?" Phoebe questioned a little surprised.

"I think we cast a spell on Prue." Paige answered. Silence followed her declaration.

"That's… ridiculous, Paige. How would we have cast a spell on her?" Phoebe disagreed, but she obviously wasn't too confident in watch she was saying.

Paige leaned closer in case Piper was still nearby. "We cast the spell and it obviously didn't work on Piper, but what if it worked on Prue? She said it herself. She was following her desire which was what I put in the spell." Paige whispered.  
Phoebe's eyes widened. "Uh oh…" She mumbled.

Just then, Piper's high pitched squeal cut through the silent Manor. Phoebe and Paige jumped up immediately and even Prue turned nervously toward the stairs as Piper came running down. "The book! It's gone!" She exclaimed

Phoebe and Paige didn't appear quite as alarmed but they turned on each other accusingly. "Did you bring it back?" Phoebe asked, drawing Piper's attention.

"Me? You were supposed to bring it back. Prue called me away." Paige argued.

"What?" Piper yelled, breaking up their argument and forcing the two youngest Halliwell's to look at her. Neither said anything. "Did you guys take the book somewhere?" Piper demanded. Both nodded enthusiastically. "Where?"

Paige hesitated, glancing at Phoebe. "Did you move it?" She earned a shake of the head and Paige turned back to Piper. "Well, I guess it's where I stashed it in the bar at Quake…" Paige admitted.

Piper looked as if she was going to explode. "You left our family inheritance at the bar in a restaurant?" She flared skeptically.

"When you put it that way… you make it sound really bad." Paige mumbled.

"We were just trying to help." Phoebe added almost hopefully.

"Help with what?" Piper asked through gritted teeth.

Phoebe glanced at the silent and distracted Prue before allowing her gaze to flicker back to Paige. "I think we gotta tell her since it may have backfired on Prue…" Paige groaned while Piper tapped her foot impatiently. "Okay, we, uh, knew you wanted to go out with Josh but we also knew you had your guard up so we cast a spell, that Paige wrote by the way, for you to follow your heart's desire but I think now it's apparent that it didn't work on you but possibly worked on Prue instead, making her Andy-crazed." Phoebe rushed out in one breath.

Another long tense silence enveloped the room while Piper carefully placed her hand against her head to force away a migraine. "Just go get the book and get back here. Quickly."

She hissed. Phoebe and Paige let out a breath of relief that Piper didn't miss. "We'll talk about this later when Prue is in her right mind." Piper added so as not to let them believe they got away with it.

"That's not fair… Prue's always had a soft spot for Paige." Phoebe complained.

Paige crossed her arms indignantly and spun on Phoebe. "She does not." Paige argued.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Oh please, she dotes on you."

"Does not." Paige insisted

"She bought you a car when you turned sixteen." Phoebe pointed out as if that proved it.

"That thing can hardly be considered a car." Paige countered in annoyance.

"It ran. And I still haven't gotten a car." Phoebe returned.

Paige shrugged. "If you must know. It came from my college fund." She snapped

"Well, I don't have one of those either." Phoebe shot back.

Paige stared at her skeptically. "You never wanted to go to college. You had no need for a college fund." She reminded. Piper's loud cough brought the bickering sisters back to reality. "Uh, we're just gonna go and get the book now…" Paige mumbled, grabbing onto Phoebe's hand and promptly orbing out.

 

The Church

Hidden in one of the back rooms of the church where no one would think to look Greg and Paul sat around a small alter chanting. It was meant to bring their hidden brother to him and to restore his nature just as the fighting had. This time, they were going to keep him away from the witches until he was bent on killing one of them. Ironically, the place where Brendan had hidden for so many years would be the place they finally turned him.

 

The Halliwell Manor

The chanting that pulled him, that called to him kept him from sleeping. He finally got up out of the bed and went to the darkened window. A spider rested in the corner and he recoiled violently from it. It no longer mattered that God had created the spider, Brendan didn't like it so he crushed it against the window.

 

Quake

Paige orbed them around the back of the restaurant where they were safe from prying eyes, but unfortunately meant they had to walk around to the front.

Phoebe led the way to join the ever-present crowd waiting to be allowed inside Quake. "Wow, Piper is so scary when she's mad." She admitted, looking nervously over her shoulder as if she expected Piper to show up and make sure they were hurrying.

"Are you kidding? I thought we got off super easy with that one." Paige, ever the optimist, countered lightly.

"Yeah, well, just wait until Prue gets involved. She's gonna kill me!" Phoebe exclaimed, waving politely at two people who turned to regard her curiously. Her smile turned to a look of annoyance when they looked away. "Why are there always so many people?" She wondered, carefully lowering her voice.

Paige shrugged, deciding to ignore that particular question as it had been rhetorical anyway. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll keep Prue from killing you if you keep Piper from killing me." She offered. She grabbed Phoebe's hand at that moment and pulled them through the crowded entrance way until they were in the middle of the restaurant.

"Deal." Phoebe agreed when they had stopped for the moment. "I think we left it over there." Phoebe suggested, pointing in the corresponding direction.

"Great. I'll make a distraction to get the workers away from the bar and you grab the book and hide in the closet. I'll meet you there and we can orb out." Paige decided and

Phoebe nodded in agreement. Phoebe moved to the side of the bar, ready to dash in, but also keeping herself from being noticed at this moment. Paige looked around the bar for a good distraction before her eyes settled approvingly on the hanging wine glass storage. She waited until everyone was out of the way before waving her hand over it. "Fall." She ordered. The ropes broke as orbs slit them (luckily obscured by all the neon lights around the bar) and it crashed down behind the bar, glass flying everywhere. People backed away but it wasn't quite enough. Paige's eyes steadied on the boxes of wine bottles. "Forward." She breathed, acting as if she was pulling them toward her. Orbs swirled around  
the boxes and they crashed to the floor. More chaos ensued. People, worried about their safety jumped away while workers dashed to get things to clean everything up. Phoebe had no trouble slipping behind the bar and grabbing the book, which luckily for them was still there. Paige joined her and they ran to the aforementioned closet.

Phoebe glanced behind her with a grin. "Piper's gonna be pissed."

Paige flashed her characteristic grin. "Why do you think I suggested we make a deal?" She asked rhetorically. Phoebe just laughed and playfully nudged Paige to the side. Paigeclosed the door behind them and orbed them back home.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Prue looked around to find herself sitting on the couch with Piper staring at her and Phoebe and Paige on either side. They all had their eyes fixed unwaveringly on Prue, which made the eldest Halliwell squirm nervously. Especially since she didn't remember how she'd gotten here.

"You look really confused." Paige stated, not quite able to hide her smirk.

"Well, that's probably because I am." Prue answered slowly.

Piper glared disapprovingly at Paige and Phoebe when they giggled. "What's the last thing you remember?" She wondered after turning back to Prue.

Prue took several moments, thinking hard. Everything seemed really fuzzy. "Uh, I was talking to Brendan…. We were horseback riding." Prue replied.

"That was this morning…" Phoebe remarked helpfully. "… or yesterday morning now." She added. Prue's mouth dropped in disbelief and she turned to look out the window. Sure enough it was dark outside.

"So, you don't remember anything that you've done after that?" Piper pressed.

"No…" Prue responded with a hint of annoyance. "Why don't I remember anything? What's been going on?" She demanded, suddenly sounding kind of nervous.

Phoebe and Paige flinched at those questions while Piper smirked. "Oh, our wonderful sisters over there tried to cast a spell on me to, uh, 'follow my heart's desire' and it backfired on you. We've had no idea what you've been doing, but Andy dragged you in about an hour ago. Said you were acting weird though he seemed… amused." Piper explained.

Prue frowned. "Shit… Did he say anything?" Prue asked quickly.

"Nope." Piper answered. "But, forgetting Andy for now, Paige here has brought a warlock into our house because she claims he wants to be good and that we can help him." She went on casually.

"A warlock?" Prue wondered, tilting her head to the side.

"Brendan." Paige supplied nervously.

Prue's eyes widened dramatically. "Brendan's a warlock?" She exclaimed.

"Wow, Prue, your memory really is shot." Phoebe couldn't help but laugh.

Prue didn't appear amused. "Well, what's the plan?" She snapped, turning back to Piper.

Piper shrugged. "We can't really back out now so tomorrow, or today, whatever, we're going to try and protect Brendan so he can be ordained as a priest. We're going to pray very earnestly that he doesn't cross over and join his brothers because they'll become the evil Charmed Ones."

"He won't." Paige spoke up defiantly.

"I feel better with it now that Prue isn't all Andy-crazed." Phoebe admitted, ignoring the glare Prue shot at her. "We've got the book back as well, so I think we should all sleep." She suggested, heading for the stairs.

"The book? What happened to the book?" Prue asked, getting up to follow.

Paige placed an arm around Prue's shoulder. "I think you might should wait until tomorrow for that story." She admitted, leading Prue up to her room with Piper behind them and

Phoebe already taking the stairs. Prue decided that she agreed with Paige on this one.

 

The Church

"He should have been here by now. I told you the spell wouldn't work." Paul fretted, pacing back and forth around the small room they were still occupying.

Greg didn't turn to acknowledge Paul. "We still got time." Greg assured him emotionlessly.

Paul continued his pacing. "I'm telling you. He can't be taken. His mother's blood is to strong in him." He argued.

"Then we will have to kill him." Greg responded indifferently.

Paul froze and turned on Greg. "I will not let that happen." He hissed.

Greg rose to meet the challenge. "You won't have a choice." Greg replied maliciously. The two brothers broke apart when the door opened to reveal Brendan.

"Brendan…" Paul greeted, surprised and in awe that the spell had actually worked.

"The spell brought you here, but the rest you'll have to do on your own, little brother." Greg instructed. He didn't appear in the least surprised with Brendan's presence.

"I understand." Brendan answered, almost robotically.

Greg narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Do you really?" He challenged.

Brendan gave the faintest of nods. "I only feel my power reaching out to yours… and yours…" He nodded in Paul's direction. "… To complete our triangle."

"All it takes is a life of a mortal and your initiation is complete." Paul remarked eagerly.

"I'm afraid it's gonna take a bit more." Greg warned, turning to the table beside him and picking up the athame from before. The knife was theirs and it returned to them despite having been picked up by the police. "We need proof that you have truly turned." He went on. He held the blade up by the handle toward Brendan. "To complete the Rowe Coven you need to sacrifice a witch… Prue." Greg ordered. They had seen her the most, gotten in the way, brought a cop against them, and she was the eldest. Who better? Brendan wordlessly gripped the hilt above Greg's hand. Paul followed, completing the soon-to-be evil counterparts of the Charmed Ones.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Prue, Piper, and Paige were crowded in Paige's room the next morning. Piper was pacing around the room with a grave expression on her face. Prue was eyeing the empty bed and tossed sheets and Paige just tried to appear confident knowing that an I-told-you-so was probably due.

"Where'd he go?" Piper finally asked, her eyes flickering over to Paige.

"Church…?" Paige offered half-hopefully.

Piper didn't appear reassured. "So, you don't know?" She pressed.

Paige bit her lip slightly. "Not… really." Paige admitted.

"Prue, any thoughts?" Piper spun on her eldest sister. It was only through Prue's siding with Paige that she'd allowed for Brendan to stay. Unfortunately, she hadn't counted on Prue not remembering why she thought Brendan deserved the chance.

Prue returned the question with a glare. "My thought right now is that your negativity is making me very frustrated." She replied shortly.

Piper ignored Prue's comment and turned back to Paige. "So what are we gonna do about it?"

"I'm going to go make sure he's okay." Paige answered, turning toward her closet to find something else to wear. "You guys can get Pheebs and meet me there." Paige added.

"I'm ready." Phoebe announced, joining her sisters in the room. She was already dressed and came from the direction of the stairs that led to the attic. "Do you want to know what the Book of Shadows says about the Rowe Coven?" She questioned. Prue gave a faint nod for her to continue while Paige and Piper just turned to listen. "It's not good."

Phoebe immediately stated. "Ever since the tenth century each generation has grown stronger. No one can find a spell or a weapon to stop them." She finished.

Piper frowned but apparently tried to take Prue's jibe to heart. "Some days you just shouldn't get out of bed." She quipped in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Let's just hope the Power of Four can beat them." Prue countered. Phoebe didn't look convinced but Paige nodded enthusiastically. Piper remained neutral on the comment.

 

The Church

The four sisters congregated outside Brendan's room, the halls around them eerily silent. "Are you sure you don't want us to go in with you?" Phoebe asked, glancing around them nervously.

"If he's turned, he'll kill you." Piper added.

"I'll be fine… besides you'll definitely hear if I need help." Paige replied, forcing a smile that didn't quite touch her eyes.

"Yeah, and we'll be right there." Prue assured with the faintest of nods.

Paige nodded appreciatively in return before pushing the door open and sliding inside. Her eyes flickered over the small room as she walked farther inside. She spun around as she heard the door click closed behind her and saw Brendan just beside it.

"Hello, Paige." Brendan greeted emotionlessly.

Paige narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she sensed a completely different feeling from him. "Hey…" She returned coldly. "So, how did they get to you this time?" Paige demanded, cutting the chitchat.

Brendan shrugged and waved his hand around his room. "You think this is a life? Look at this place. It's hardly furnished. Dresser, crucifix, bed… Too lowly." He answered with a smirk. He carefully took steps toward Paige and leaned closer. 

"They put a spell on me. To make me see your mortal body only. Something to kill." Brendan went on. With a sudden movement he had Paige pinned against the wall with the athame at her throat. "Your sister. Prue. Where is she?" He demanded.

Paige was surprisingly calm as her brown eyes met Brendan's. "Prue, why?" She asked innocently though she was fully prepared to orb out if he so much as twitched his hand.

"She made quite the impression on my brothers. Now tell me. I doubt they'll truly care which one of you I kill." Brendan replied harshly.

"Sorry." Paige apologized sarcastically before orbing out and reappearing behind him. Brendan spun around and tossed the athame at her, but she orbed out again so that it passed right through her. The athame had imbedded itself into the wall and alerted Prue, Piper, and Phoebe of the struggle inside. The three other sisters burst into the room in but a moment. Prue narrowed her eyes, throwing Brendan back into the wall while Piper raised her hands. "No, stop." Paige called and Piper hesitantly lowered her hands again.

Before them Brendan transformed into his warlock self and regained his feet. His eyes landed threateningly on Prue, but Paige stepped in front of her eldest sister, effectively regaining Brendan's attention. "You don't have to do this, Brendan. Don't let them control you. Fight it again and you'll be rid of it forever." Paige insisted. She took a hasty step backwards when Brendan stepped forward. "What about Father Austin? Do you really want to walk away from everything he's done for you?" Paige challenged.

There was a tense moment as Brendan hesitated, her words having struck a chord. After several agonizing seconds, Brendan transformed back into his human form. His eyes flickered over the four sisters. "Did I hurt you?" He demanded, the question asked for all of them.

Paige smiled triumphantly but Prue beat her to answering. "No, we're okay." Prue assured. It was quickly followed by an "Ow!" as Phoebe reached over and pinched her for interrupting the moment.

"Well, I wasn't worried. Were you worried?" Phoebe questioned softly to Piper, obviously a lie.

Piper quickly shook her head. "Nope." She lied in which Prue rolled her eyes.

~PO4~

Piper and Phoebe led the way down the hall. They stopped at every intersection and looked around for Brendan's brothers before Piper would call softly behind her. "It's clear."

Paige and Brendan came next, Paige glancing around nervously while Brendan hurried after them in his priest robe. Prue was last, guarding their backs.

Greg and Paul were waiting down a side hallway where they were hidden. They waited until Prue passed by them before stepping out. "You betrayed us, little brother." Greg stated. "I'm very disappointed." He added with a dangerous smirk.

All four sisters and Brendan turned to face them. Brendan quickly moved up so that he was in front of Prue as his brothers had it out for her. "Leave them out of this, Greg." Brendan warned.

Greg looked at Brendan in disgust. "You're protecting witches now? You make me sick." He cursed.

Piper's eyes flickered over to Prue. "Prue?" She whispered, itching to freeze them.

"Now." Prue ordered softly.

Piper immediately threw her hands up, but Paul was quicker in getting his shield around them which nullified Piper's attempt. Phoebe threw the athame at the brothers but it bounced off the shield and flew back at her. Paige jumped forward and grabbed Phoebe, orbing them out just as the athame was about to hit Phoebe. Prue retaliated by narrowing her eyes and sending a telekinetic blast at Greg and Paul, but Greg also threw up a golden shield that blocked it.

"Not this time. I'm ready for you." Greg snapped at Prue. He motioned at the knife and telekinetically pulled it back to his hands from where it lay on the ground behind the sisters. They moved hastily out of the way as it flew by. "But family first." He decided, readying to throw the knife at Brendan.

Brendan smirked eagerly. "Yeah? Come and get me." Brendan challenged.

Paul suddenly jumped in front of Greg as the eldest brother was about to throw the knife. "No, wait!" He pleaded and Greg reluctantly stayed his hand.

"Brendan, don't let them turn you." Prue whispered.

"Don't use your powers." Paige added, knowing that made the call harder to resist.

"Give him a chance." Paul went on, making sure Greg was really holding back before spinning around to face Brendan. "It's not too late, Brendan, you can still join us."

"You are either with us or you are against us!" Greg shouted.

Brendan shrugged nonchalantly. "Then I'm against you." He answered simply.

"Then you will die." Greg promised, releasing the athame at his youngest brother. Paul jumped in the way, shielding Brendan from the knife and allowing it to stab into him instead. "Damn you, Brendan!"

Paul glared back at Greg and roughly pulled the athame out of his chest. "Greg, damn you!" He cursed, tossing it back and hitting Greg squarely in the chest. Greg was the first to sink to the floor, unable to pull the athame out. Paul followed and in but a few moments a red glow surrounded them and they disappeared, vanquished.

Paige stared in a horrified silence for a moment before walking up to Brendan. "Um, I'm sorry…" She stated, almost sounding like a question.

Brendan smiled faintly and shook his head. "I'm not." He assured her, bending down to pick up the athame off the floor. With one last look at it he passed it to Prue, who looked surprised. "It might come in handy sometime." Brendan explained. The clock chimed, the sound resonating through the empty halls and he turned back to Paige.

"It's time." Paige announced.

Brendan glanced behind him to the main room where the ceremony would take place. "Yeah… After all these years, after everything I've given up to get here, a sacrifice never seemed greater than it does right now." He admitted. Paige was about to respond, most likely try to lighten the mood just a little, but she was cut off as Brendan leaned down and kissed her.

"Hmmm… a warlock and a whitelighter-witch? Who woulda thought?" Paige joked after they had broken apart. She took his hand and pulled Brendan toward where he was supposed to be for the ceremony. Her sisters slowly followed, each exchanging suggestive glances regarding Brendan and Paige with each other.

~PO4~

The four Halliwell sisters stayed for Brendan's ceremony. Noticing Paige's watery eyes, Phoebe leaned over and wrapped her baby sister in a hug. "You know, if you're ever going to lose a guy. It might as well be to the big guy." Phoebe quipped, successfully earning an outburst of giggles from Paige. The two stopped immediately when Piper and Prue cast them warning glares, but the two youngest sisters still retained their smiles.

 

Bay Area Hospital

Later that same night, Paige paced hesitantly in circles around Father Austin's room. The elderly priest wasn't recovering as well as the sisters had hoped and Prue was getting worried. Andy had always been close to Father Austin and all four sisters knew he was keeping a close watch on his priest's improvements… or lack thereof. Thus, Prue had talked Paige into trying to contact one of her whitelighter friends to heal him.

"Leo…" Paige called softly. It was past visiting hours so no one was around. They just had to be careful that no nurses walked in and that Piper's freeze hadn't worn off the cameras in the room.

A few seconds passed by as Leo orbed in-in front of Paige. He looked around trying to figure out why Paige was hiding out in an old man's hospital room. "What are you doing here?" He finally asked.

Paige's gaze flickered to Father Austin and she quickly tried to remember all of Prue's argument for why they should heal the priest. "Um, I want you to heal him." Paige answered simply.

Leo frowned uncertainly. "You know they don't just allow me to heal whoever." He reminded her.

"Yeah, but he was attacked by warlocks which is magical, he's a priest, not to mention my charge's priest which if Father Austin died could send my charge in a spiraling depression from which he may never return…" Paige listed off. So the depression from which he may never return part was probably a little exaggerated, but they didn't really have to know that. She looked up at him hopefully.

"Why did a warlock attack a priest?" Leo questioned skeptically.

Paige rolled her eyes. "That's a very long story, Leo. Don't they know what we've been doing?"

Leo shrugged. "They don't watch everything." He pointed out.

"Well, I'm sure they were watching the end part. We just stopped the evil Charmed Ones from ever being… that's rather important." Paige countered. "Come on, they said you can't heal non-magical wounds, but Father Austin was hurt by warlocks." She pleaded.

"I can't just heal someone in a hospital. Exposure." Leo argued though he, of course, really wanted to heal the elderly man.

"Oh, don't worry about that. Piper froze the room so the cameras won't pick us up. He'll just miraculously be healed… people believe in miracles." Paige retorted. She smiled when Leo seemed to agree.

Leo nodded, deciding that if they disagreed then they would stop him. Otherwise, he saw no reason to not heal the man. Leo placed his hands just above the wounds that Greg and Paul had dealt on the priest and after several moments a golden glow emanated.

Paige grinned when it worked and the wounds closed up. "Thank you, thank you." Paige squealed, throwing her arms thankfully around Leo.

Leo just laughed softly, but they both went quiet as Father Austin began to move. "Better go. Stay out of trouble, Paige." He offered before orbing out. Paige quickly followed. The last of the orbs had just disappeared when Father Austin opened his eyes. The nurses and doctors were quickly alerted by his waking and filed into the room to witness the miracle.

 

San Francisco Police Department

Prue traversed through the mostly empty hallways until she came to Andy's desk. She saw Andy looking over some papers; his back was turned to her. The place was pretty much empty this night and she guessed that Darryl must be out getting coffee or something as he should have been in the room as well. Prue nervously walked toward Andy. She still hadn't figured out what to say. 'Hey, Andy, I have no idea what happened yesterday but I know you dragged me home. Did I do anything magical in front of you?' Yeah right. Great conversation starter. However, she couldn't just stand here behind him all night. Prue coughed softly to alert him of her presence.

His chair swiveled around to face her and he smiled when he saw her. "Prue." Andy greeted pleasantly. "I was just about to go to Quake to search for you." He added.

He was at least kinda glad to see her. That's a good thing as before they weren't on the best of terms. "You were?" Prue asked, tilting her head slightly to the side.

Andy nodded in confirmation. "Yeah. I just finished Father Austin's case. I thought you would like to know that you were right." He explained. "Would you like your victory in writing?" Andy joked.

Prue rolled her eyes to hide that she really had no idea what she was right about. "No thanks. Can I just sit instead?"

"Sure." Andy agreed, getting up and sliding Darryl's chair over for her to sit in.

She didn't speak again until she had settled herself comfortably in the chair. "So, um, how is Father Austin?" Prue wondered, figuring that was the easiest way to start. Of course, she already knew the answer.

"I just came from the hospital and the doctors said he's made a full recovery. They're calling it a miracle or almost-like-magic." Andy replied, watching Prue's eyes closely. He easily read that she wasn't surprised by his answer so he concluded that she had something to do with it.

"I'm glad to hear that." Prue answered cheerfully before her smiled faded in thought.

"What is it?" Andy inquired. She wanted to ask something… something she was worried about or maybe she was nervous.

Prue hesitated, one of her hands moving to swipe through her hair. "Um, well, honestly… I don't remember anything from yesterday and I was sorta hoping that you could jog my memory or something." She admitted, acutely aware that she probably sounded crazy.

Andy frowned, his eyes flickering over her thoughtfully. She didn't appear to be lying, but if that was true then she didn't remember the fight with Brendan's brothers. He tried to hide his disappointment. He didn't know that was true yet. 

"You don't remember anything?" Andy repeated. He thought about the important events of the day before. "Um, meeting me at the church, coming here to the station, following me to the crime scene, and me taking you back to your house?" He summarized in questions.

Prue looked a little overwhelmed. "I did all that?" She mumbled uncertainly. They hadn't really been on the best of terms since he'd taken her to the morgue to identify her own body only to find it not there. "Sorry you were stuck with me…" Prue apologized. She felt like she should apologize for a lot of things.

"You just tried to convince me that Brendan was innocent." Andy elaborated, shrugging. He sighed softly. She didn't remember. That's why she was nervous. He was left with the choice of either telling her what he had seen or pretending it didn't happen when around her. Andy picked the latter. At least for now. He wanted to give her the chance to tell him. If she didn't soon then perhaps he would confront her with it, but somehow he felt that she was going to tell him. He didn't want to rush it anymore. After all, it was one hell of a secret.

"That's it?" Prue pressed. She sounded mildly disappointed and she didn't bother hiding it.

Andy smiled to himself. He was confident in his choice. "Since Father Austin recovered, he was able to confirm your suspicions. Brendan's brothers attacked him. Brendan was innocent." He went on.

"I told you so." Prue joked.

"I guess I deserve that." Andy allowed. "I don't suppose you know where I might be able to find his brothers, do you?" He questioned.

"No." Prue answered, a little too quickly, but it was on purpose. She was tired of hiding. "But I have a feeling you won't be able to find them anywhere."

Andy nodded, expecting as much. "Really? I wonder how you might know that." He wondered aloud.

Prue looked away and smiled mischievously. "Hmmm…" Prue pretended to think hard about it.

"Hmm…" Andy repeated. "Never mind. I think I already know." He laughed. That'll give her something to think about. Sure enough, she cast him a curious glance, obviously wondering just how much he knew.

Darryl walked in at that moment with two cups of coffee. He hesitated when he saw Prue and Andy, trying to decide if he should walk back out for a few minutes. He stopped though when Prue called "Hey, Darryl." "Hey, Prue. Trudeau didn't tell me you were coming by or I would have gotten you some coffee. As it is, I suppose you can have his." Darryl offered, passing her one of the cups.

Prue smirked at Andy, who was staring at Darryl in disbelief. "Why thank you, Darryl…" As if to prove the point, she took a sip from the cup before passing it over to Andy. "… But I think I had better get going. I'm supposed to have met my sisters at Quake fifteen minutes ago." She admitted, standing up.

Andy followed, sliding Darryl's chair back to him. "I'll walk you out." He offered.

"That would be so nice." Prue replied, half-sarcastic but very pleased. She waved to Darryl one last time before letting Andy walk her back to her car. She vaguely thought about how good it was she had driven otherwise she'd have had to turn Andy down in order for Paige to orb in and get her. As it was, she could enjoy the moment.

 

Quake

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were sitting at one of the tables, waiting for Prue to join them. "You know, I think this actually turned about fairly well." Piper admitted, if a little reluctantly.

Paige perked up immediately. "Really? You're not mad?" She asked eagerly.

"I didn't say that. You will never cast another spell on me or woe to you. And I'm never going to let you work the restaurant for me ever again. And you will never take the Book of Shadows out of the house." Piper argued, causing Phoebe and Paige to duck their head apologetically. "But I will try and listen to your instincts." She allowed, nodding in Paige's direction. "And I'll also try and listen to your romance advice." Piper added, nodding in Phoebe's direction.

"You mean you're not mad at me about that?" Phoebe inquired in her baby voice.

Piper smiled faintly and shook her head. "No, I'm grateful. You followed my instincts and even though my life would probably be so much easier without your influence, I don't know what I'd do without you." She admitted. "Now, if you two don't mind. I have a date." Piper announced, waving over Josh as she saw him enter the restaurant.

He complied and stopped beside the sisters' table. "Piper, I'm a little surprised you called. I thought that maybe you were mad at me or something." Josh responded honestly.

"No, I just had to go to church." Piper explained, standing up next to him. She waved one last time to her sisters and followed Josh to a table farther down the room.

"You know, maybe I didn't do such a bad thing after all." Phoebe remarked her eyes following Piper as she left.

Prue walked up and sat down in Piper's vacant seat just in time to have heard the end of the conversation. "I'd say helping her get over her always falling for the wrong guy is a good thing." Prue allowed thoughtfully.

Paige smiled in greeting to her eldest sister before nodding in agreement. "Now maybe you can help me with it."

"Mmm… yeah, it's not fair, losing a catch like Brendan to the priesthood. God's got all the studs." She joked.

"At least he's not a warlock anymore." Prue offered optimistically.

"And at least Piper's not a nun." Phoebe added. "Right?"

Paige laughed and held up her drink in a toast. "Mmhmm." She agreed.

"Right." Prue repeated, clinking glasses with both her youngest sisters.


	37. Out of Sight (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank everyone for their reviews.

Out of Sight

 

The Park

"So what are you so afraid of?" Phoebe asked, turning her attention away from the birthday party plates to look up at Piper, who was standing at the end of the table preparing the napkins.

Piper thought about ignoring the question but knew she'd never hear the end of it so she reluctantly glanced back at Phoebe. "I'm not afraid." She replied. Phoebe narrowed her eyes and Paige, who had been watching the kids running and playing ball, arched an eyebrow. Both were signs of disbelief that Piper noted. "I'm not!" She insisted. "I'm just not sure." Piper clarified, her voice trailing uncertainly.

"Not sure of what?" Prue wondered, coming to join her three sisters around the table.

"Josh wants to have 'The Talk' with Piper." Phoebe answered with a teasing glance over at Piper.

Prue tilted her head in confusion. "What talk?"

Paige smirked and turned to face Prue. "You know, 'The Talk.'" She prompted only to receive a still confused look. "The sex talk…" Paige elaborated, waving her hands in circular motion.

Phoebe, also, leaped to join in the conversation. "Safe sex, prior partners, standard dating protocol." She added in which Prue nodded in realization and cast Piper a look of sympathy.

"And sex equals relationship." Piper continued their train of thought.

"And why, again, do you not want to be a couple?" Paige inquired.

"She's still thinking about Leo." Prue teased her younger sister and offered Paige a knowing look. Prue's smile faded slightly when Piper tossed several rolled up napkins at the eldest sister for giving out confidential information.

Paige smiled in understanding before laughing softly. "That's sweet." She gushed.

Piper sighed dramatically when Phoebe waved her hands in a sign of elaboration. "It's just that I thought Leo and I were a couple and then we 'coupled' and he took off." She explained.

"Yeah, well, men seem to have a different definition of coupling than women do." Prue pointed out mildly.

"I do not think that's why Leo left." Phoebe offered cryptically, earning curious gazes from Prue and Piper while Paige narrowed her eyes in warning. Phoebe didn't offer any more on the topic and neither Prue nor Piper had time to ask before another woman joined their group.

"Hey, Prue." The woman greeted cheerfully.

Prue smiled sincerely, turning to meet her. "Hey, Dee. How are you?" She asked, her gaze flickering to the young boy, David, that followed.

Piper leaned down toward David. "Hey, how's the party going?" Piper wondered.

"Great, we're playing squish and squash and no one's been able to catch me." David gloated, receiving laughs from the four sisters. "Is the cake ready?" He questioned the same time Prue's phone jingle went off and she stepped away to answer it.

"Uh, yeah, give us about five minutes." Piper replied.

David nodded eagerly. "Awesome." He suddenly turned and ran back to his friends. "Hey, guys, five minutes until the cake!" David announced.

Dee watched him leave before turning back to Piper. "Thanks for doing all this, Piper. I never would have been able to afford…" She trailed off gratefully and offered Piper a small smile.

"Hey, what are friends for?" Piper asked rhetorically. "Besides, it's worth it to see the look on David's face." Piper continued.

Phoebe's gaze followed David as he played with his friends. "He's a great kid." She complimented to Dee.

Dee smiled. "Yeah, I know." She whispered in delight.

Prue sighed in irritation, closing her phone and dropping it into her purse dramatically. "Well, so much for my Saturday off. That was Claire. Something at the auction house needs to be appraised, so I gotta go." Prue announced. "I'm so sorry." She apologized to Dee.

Piper, Phoebe, and Dee frowned sympathetically. "Bye."

"Do you want a ride?" Paige offered to orb, though wording it so that Dee wouldn't get suspicious.

"No, thanks. My car's here." Prue turned down and Paige shrugged, leaning back against the table. Prue waved one last time and started down the path that would lead her to her car.

~PO4~

The kids took turns throwing the ball back and forth between each other until one of them accidently threw the ball too hard. It rolled into a surrounding brush and David chased after. "I'll get it." He called to his friends. David picked it up and started to turn away when he heard a soft 'meow' from behind him. He turned around only to have a paleskinned, red-eyed demon grab him. "Help! Let go of me!" David yelled. The grimlock struggled to keep his hold on the child.

Prue froze as she was walking by and noticed the scene. "David! No!" She yelled, running forward and throwing her hands out. The grimlock and David were suddenly pulled apart and suspended in air. Prue stared in stunned silence before looking down at her hands in wonder. The grimlock and David dropped to the ground and the grimlock charged forward, grabbing David and running off. Prue quickly dashed after them into the brush. She didn't notice the man that had been standing behind her and witnessed her powers. The grimlock stopped in an open but empty field and waved his hand over the ground. A hole appeared and he jumped down, taking David with him. As Prue ran in the hole  
disappeared and she was left in the empty meadow.

~PO4~

The police had arrived on the scene, questioning anyone that had any involvement. Piper and Paige were with Dee trying to comfort and assure her that David was going to be okay while Prue had just gotten done with being questioned herself. She joined Phoebe, not quite ready to face Dee yet.

"What did you tell them?" Phoebe asked gently.

Prue had her arms crossed and appeared dejected at her inability to save David. "That I saw a creature with whirling eyes take David." She answered.

Phoebe looked surprised. "And what did he say?" She wondered.

"What do you think he said?" Prue returned with a loud sigh. "He thought I was nuts." She replied to her own question while running a hand through her hair in frustration.

Phoebe nodded as if that was expected. "Yeah, well, it turns out David's not the first one to be taken. An inspector told me that another boy disappeared yesterday in the exact same spot." Phoebe informed.

Prue frowned thoughtfully. "A demon who steals kids? Does it get any worse?" She groaned.

"Yeah, apparently it also happened twenty years ago. Same park, two kids." Phoebe answered.

"Did they ever find the kids?" Prue inquired.

Phoebe shrugged. "I don't know." She admitted softly.

Prue sighed again and glanced back to where Dee was standing with Piper and Paige on either side of her. "You know, I could have saved him." She lamented.

"Prue, don't go there…" Phoebe pleaded.

"No, I was just so surprised and I looked down at my hand…" Prue rambled as Paige came up behind them.

"Oh, sweetheart, you're still beating yourself up over that?" Paige interrupted sympathetically, earning a faint nod from Prue. "It's not your fault." Paige added, giving her eldest sister a quick hug.

Phoebe nodded and offered a smile. "Look on the bright side. You won't have to squint your eyes anymore…" Prue tilted her head curiously to the side. "… Um, you were starting to get those little lines." She explained.

"Yeah and your power's growing. That's pretty cool." Paige allowed, picking up where Phoebe left off. She smiled enthusiastically in the hopes to cheer her eldest sister up.

"I guess. I just hope no one saw me." Prue mumbled. She turned around as Piper came up to join them. She stopped on Prue's other side.

Phoebe smiled faintly in greeting. "So how's Dee doing?" She asked, her eyes flickering between Piper and Paige.

"She's upset." Paige answered as if that should have been obvious.

"Yeah, and it's very frustrating not being able to tell her who we are and how we can help…" Piper started.

"Well, the sooner we get to the Book of Shadows the sooner we can get David back home." Prue cut off Piper's train of thought before she started feeling guilty.

Phoebe nodded quickly in agreement. "An albino demon with whirling eyes sounds like a whole chapter to me." Phoebe commented just as Prue's cell phone jingle went off again.

Prue sighed loudly, irritably searching her purse for her phone. "I forgot about the appraisal." She groaned.

"You should just go." Paige decided.

"Are you sure?" Prue asked while Phoebe took her phone from her.

"Yeah, Phoebe, Paige, and I can look in the Book of Shadows and we'll let you know if we find anything." Piper agreed.

Phoebe pressed a button and then hung up the phone before passing it back to Prue. "Don't you just hate cell phones? Always out of range." She quipped, winking at Prue mischievously.

Prue smiled faintly. "Call me." She pleaded before heading for her car for the second time that day. As she unlocked her car, the man that had witnessed her powers watched her with an eager expression upon his face.

~PO4~

Underground Storm Drains

"Help! Help me! Let go of me!" David yelled as his grimlock captor held him down on the floor. The second grimlock passed by a cage, that held another young boy, on his way to David. As one grimlock held him down the other held his hand over David's eyes. An electric blue light shot back and forth between David's eyes for several seconds. The grimlock's reddish eyes became David's soft brown color. David opened his eyes which were now white and clouded. "I can't see… Why can't I see? Mom? Mom!"

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper slammed the Book of Shadows closed. "Nothing." She hissed in frustration, suddenly getting to her feet and startling Paige, who had fallen asleep with her head on the table.

"What? What happened?" Paige mumbled, rubbing her eyes groggily.

"Did you check under whirling eyes?" Phoebe asked. She smiled faintly at the confused Paige and waved her hand in such a way that told Paige everything was fine.

Piper headed for the cabinets and began pulling stuff out. "About an hour ago. I found demons with no eyes, demons with four eyes, eyes that grow legs, but no whirling eyes." She listed irritably.

Paige, who had dropped her head back on her arms, shifted so she could see Phoebe. "How about the kids before?" Paige suggested.

"Already on it." Phoebe acknowledged, turning back to the computer screen. "Um, both boys were taken in the same place as David… and one of them was never seen again." She summarized.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Oh great." She muttered.

"And the other one?" Paige prompted.

"He was found. His name was Brent Miller." Phoebe read, pointing to the name on the screen.

Paige had her eyes narrowed at all the food Piper was pulling out. "Um, Piper, I've found that ice cream works the best when you're upset. Not all that." She offered.

Piper paused and suddenly realized what her sister was thinking. "It's not for me. It's for Dee. I'm making her a care package." She defended causing Paige to roll her eyes. Piper sighed and glared over at Phoebe. "Keep reading." Piper ordered.

"Brent Miller was discovered two days after he was taken, roaming the streets. He was fine… except he'd gone blind." Phoebe continued, trailing off uncertainly.

Piper froze and Paige raised her head curiously. "Blind?" Paige repeated, tilting her head to the side.

"Yeah, he claimed some storm drain monsters stole his eyesight. Of course, the authorities believed he'd just caught a parasite." Phoebe went on.

"We can't tell Dee that her son might be blinded." Piper whispered.

Paige slid out of her chair and walked over to the computer. "Well, social workers often get involved in traumatic experiences. If he was kidnapped than one might have been sent to help his parents deal as well as him. If one did, then he should still be in the database." Paige rambled as she pulled up the social workers database that she typically worked off of. "We might be able to get his address…"

"… And we can see if he knows anything that might help us." Phoebe finished sounding impressed.

"I hope that works." Piper sighed, dropping back into one of the chairs.

"Piper, we're going to find David." Phoebe promised gently. She reached out and gently took Piper's hand comfortingly while her eyes flickered to the youngest Halliwell sister as she looked up the case.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue sat at her desk, filling out appraisal paperwork on the expensive glass bowl that was in front of her when a reporter pushed the door of her office open.

"Prue Halliwell?" He asked.

Prue glanced up from her work. "Yes?" She prompted professionally, her eyes flickering back to her work.

The reporter slowly approached her while pulling out a business card. "Hi, Eric Lohman." He introduced himself. "Bay Weekly. Alternative press. Maybe you've heard of us?" He went on.

Prue politely shook his hand. "Sorry." She apologized.

"Oh, well, you will." Lohman promised with a shrug. "Listen, I was hoping you might be able to help me with a story I'm working on." He explained.

"On the auction business?" Prue guessed, though mildly surprised.

"No, actually, on magic." Lohman replied.

Prue quickly turned her gaze back on her work so as to hide her surprise. "Magic? Why would you come to me?" Prue wondered, forcing herself to keep nonchalant about the topic.

"I don't know, maybe because I saw you levitate two people in the park with just a wave of your hand." Lohman answered, smirking triumphantly. Prue didn't respond and Eric continued. "I take that as a 'no comment.'" He paused, waiting for her reaction. When she still didn't say anything, he just shrugged and started walking around her office, casually looking at things. "So, what are you anyway? Some kind of David Copperfield, Lance Burton, a freak of nature?" Lohman inquired, laughing at his own joke.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Prue lied emotionlessly, eyes unblinking.

Lohman sighed and turned back to face her. "Look, Prue, your friends call you Prue, right?"

Prue carefully stood up from her seat. "I'd like for you to leave…" She started.

"Well, tough, get over it." Lohman interrupted harshly as he advanced toward her. Prue's eyes flashed and she sent a dangerous glare at him. "I had my police sources check you out. It's interesting how your name keeps popping up in all these unsolved murder cases, don't you think?" He went on.

Prue rolled her eyes. "What does that have to do with anything?" She snapped.

"Maybe nothing, but if I wrote an article on it… it might look like something." He answered. He grinned when Prue had no argument. "Does your boss subscribe to my paper?" Lohman asked pointedly.

"Don't threaten me." Prue warned.

"What are you gonna do? Make me fly into a wall?" He laughed, openly mocking her. Lohman slyly pushed the glass bowl that Prue had been appraising off her desk. Prue jumped but forced herself to let it drop. She flinched when it shattered into pieces. "Oops, how clumsy of me." Lohman apologized, not sorry in the least. He leaned down and picked up the remnants of the bowl and placed them back on Prue's desk. "I bet that took a lot of self control, huh? Not to use your powers." He guessed.

Prue took a deep breath to control her rising anger before responding. "You're a real credit to your profession." She allowed.

"You know, that kid saw what I saw too…" Lohman pointed out as Prue picked up the phone on her desk. "… Cops get him, he's all the corroborating evidence I need." He threatened.

"Security?" Prue questioned into the phone.

Lohman rolled his eyes and irritably hit the 'hang up' button on the phone receiver. "Prue, be smart. Work with me…" Prue slammed the phone back down and crossed her arms defiantly. "… I'm gonna break this story one way or the other. And when I do, I can either make you sound like wonder woman or the devil incarnate. Okay? Think about it." He ordered, pointing down at his business card before leaving without another word.

~PO4~

Brent Miller's House

"Mr. Miller will be in shortly." The housekeeper promised, glancing back behind her to Phoebe, who was following close behind. She led Phoebe to the main room and stopped, allowing Phoebe to take a look around.

"Wow, what a great view." Phoebe breathed. Her eyes on the beautiful balcony that overlooked the ocean. "You can smell the ocean." She realized while the housekeeper nodded in agreement.

Mr. Miller walked in-in time to hear Phoebe's comment. "And hear the traffic." He agreed, stopping when his service dog did just in front of Phoebe.

Phoebe glanced down a little nervously at the dog as the housekeeper left back to the front. "Uh, Brent Miller?" She asked.

"That's what they tell me." Brent replied casually.

Phoebe smiled and held her hand out to shake. "Hi, I'm Phoebe Halliwell." She introduced, quickly pulling her hand back when she remembered he couldn't see it.

"Phoebe, allow me to introduce you to Helmeth." Brent continued, waving his hand at his dog.

"He's beautiful." Phoebe complimented with a smile down at the dog. "And so is this place." Phoebe went on, her eyes scanning the room around her.

"Yeah, well, didn't think a blind guy could live so well, huh?" Brent quipped.

Phoebe's smile turned to horror at his words. "Oh, no, that's not what I meant at all." She exclaimed desperately..

Brent chuckled softly. "I know you didn't." He assured. "I design software for the visually impaired. Life has been good to me." He explained quickly. "So, how can I, how can I help you, Phoebe?" Brent wondered politely.

Phoebe nervously glanced behind her to make sure the housekeeper had left them alone. "Um, actually, I wanted to talk to you about when you were kidnapped as a child." Phoebe answered.

"I'm sorry, uh, I'm not very comfortable talking about that." Brent denied, his voice colder than it had been at first.

Phoebe nodded hastily in understanding despite him being unable to see her. "I understand, but I read a lot about it…"

"I said I'm not interested in talking about it." Brent stated firmly.

"Okay, but this just isn't for me…" Phoebe began again.

"I said no!" Brent yelled. His dog barked a warning and Phoebe immediately stopped talking.

The housekeeper came back from the front of the house. "Is everything alright, Mr. Miller?" She asked, eyeing Phoebe with suspicion.

Brent took a moment to compose himself. "Yes, Lucy, just, uh, show this lady to the front door." He ordered lightly. He turned away and took a seat on the edge of a nearby armchair.

Phoebe started to follow Lucy out, but suddenly stopped and turned back to him. "No, you know what? I'm not leaving." She argued defiantly. "It's happening again. In the last twenty-four hours two little boys were kidnapped from the same park you were… Maybe by the same monsters that took you." Phoebe explained.

There was a tense moment as Brent thought about what she said before he turned to face her. "It's alright, Lucy." Brent allowed Phoebe to stay. He let Lucy take Helmeth with her when she went back to the other side of the house. "You believe my story about the monsters?" He asked.

"Yes, I do." Phoebe answered softly.

"Why?" Brent demanded. "When everyone else has always laughed at me?"

"Well, maybe it's because I've seen my fair share of monsters and I haven't told anyone about them because I didn't want them to laugh at me either." Phoebe replied slowly. "Mr. Miller, I know you wouldn't want what happened to you to happen to these two little boys. Please." She pleaded.

Brent sighed softly and leaned against the nearby chair. "There were two of them. I mean, terrifying creatures really. They dragged me into a storm drain to a junction of some kind. They… held me down. I remember blue sparks hitting my face. My eyes felt like they were on fire and, uh, that's the last thing I ever saw." He related.

"Why do you think they took your eyesight?" Phoebe inquired.

"I don't know." Brent admitted. "But I remember them saying something about auras." He offered. Phoebe narrowed her eyes thoughtfully at the mention of auras.

~PO4~

Philharmonics Charity Concert

A crowd of people flocked out of the building as the charity concert let out. One man in particular was the center of a lot of attention as he left. Beneath the drain on the edge of the street, two grimlocks watched that very man. A golden light had surrounded him, only seen by the grimlocks. One of the grimlocks clenched his hand and the man began to choke. His hands flew to his throat as he dropped to the ground with many people running to try and help. There was no relief and in a matter of moments he had died. The two grimlocks disappeared back into the sewers completely unnoticed by all.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Paige rushed down the stairs with the Book of Shadows clutched tightly against her chest. She nearly ran into Piper on the short landing of the twisting stairs as the elder sister was coming up to meet Paige. "Oh, god, sorry, Piper!" Paige apologized, reaching out to steady Piper when she stumbled backwards.

"Never mind… look Phoebe called and said that Brent remembered the demons saying auras…" Piper explained, reaching out for the book.

Paige's eyes widened in realization. "Auras? I think I read something about that before." She admitted and instead of giving the book to Piper, dropped down right there on the landing and began flipping frantically through the pages. She pointed at a specific page.

Piper read the passage over her shoulder. "Grimlocks?" She read.

"Yeah, demons that roam from city to city and take out powerful forces of good by seeing the unique auras that surround them. Aura eyesight is stolen from innocent children." Paige continued. "See, it all fits." Paige exclaimed.

"The stolen eyesight will last for twenty four hours as long as the children are still alive." Piper finished, turning her wrist over so she could read the time on her watch. "Which means we have less than fourteen hours." She sighed.

"Okay, we need Schisandra root and thyme for a vanquishing potion." Paige announced.

"Piper! Paige!" Prue's yell shook Piper and Paige from their thoughts and the two hurriedly ran down the rest of the stairs to meet Prue at the bottom.

Phoebe was just behind Prue. "We've got a bit of a problem." She pointed out with a glance at an obviously upset Prue.

Paige took in Prue's expression with a frown. "I'd say so." Paige raised her eyebrows, a silent prompt for Prue to explain.

"A reporter saw me use my powers in the park and he's threatening to write an article about it." Prue exploded as soon as she had everyone's attention. She then spun on her heel and marched over to the window to make sure Mr. Reporter wasn't watching them or something.

"What?" Paige asked in surprise.

"Does he have any proof?" Phoebe demanded at the same time as Paige.

Prue shrugged, turning away from the window. "Just what he saw." She assumed.

Phoebe didn't appear too worried. "So it's your word against his?" Phoebe pressed.

"Yeah, but he's a reporter… That story would spread like wildfire and people will believe anything." Paige pointed out mildly.

"Well, everything happens for a reason, maybe it's time to let the world know about us." Piper suggested.

Phoebe and Paige's mouths dropped while Prue just shook her head. "No, being outed would only make our lives worse." Prue insisted.

"We don't know that. At least we could tell Dee what we were doing and give her some hope." Piper argued defiantly.

"No, Prue's right. If we're exposed we're gonna have every crazy hounding us day and night." Phoebe disagreed.

"Not to mention the media circus on our front lawn." Prue added.

Paige readily agreed. "ET would be all over us." She sighed. "I can see it now. Top news; Witches discovered in San Francisco. Is this the return of witch trials?" Paige did her best impression of a new reporter.

Piper quickly threw her hands in the air, a sign of her frustration that was partially due to Paige's handling of the situation. "Well, we can't worry about that right now, we have to find the boys. I'm gonna go see Josh and see if he has a map or something of the storm drain system." She decided, grabbing her jacket off the hook by the door.

"Storm drains?" Prue asked, completely confused. Phoebe's look mirrored that of Prue's.

Paige stepped forward and grabbed Phoebe's hand. "I'll explain it to you when we go see Brent." She offered.

"Brent?" Prue repeated.

"We're gonna go ask and see if he knows where the grimlocks took him." Paige answered, more to Phoebe's questioning look than Prue's.

Piper suddenly came back from the Foyer. "Prue, the Book of Shadows says the only way to kill a grimlock is to blind it with a potion made of Schisandra root… can you find some?"

Prue nodded hesitantly. "I'll try as long as that reporter isn't following me." She agreed.

"Alright then, we'll be back soon." Phoebe announced allowing Paige to pull her toward the door where they grabbed their coats, leaving a still confused Prue behind. "Hey, what if Josh wants to have the talk?" She wondered to Piper.

"I'll tell him I have a headache." Piper replied shortly.

Phoebe seemed to take that answer. "Okay…" She mumbled, pulling open the door and following Piper and Paige outside.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

"Anything on the night sheet?" Andy inquired to his partner as he returned from getting coffee for the both of them. He passed one of the two cups to Darryl, who was flipping through a file.

"Medical examiner…" Darryl started, but paused to take the coffee. "… Thanks. Sent this over. It's Jerry Cartwright. A saint. Donated millions to the city's anti-drug program." He explained briefly.

Andy slowly sat down in his chair, appearing thoughtful at the case. "ME's saying he was murdered?" He asked curiously.

"Unless we tell him otherwise." Darryl replied with a shrug. "He's listing the C.O.D. as a strangulation. The problem is the man died in the middle of a crowd of people and no one saw anyone lay a hand on him." Darryl continued, passing the file to his partner.

Anything Andy started to say was lost when Lohman pushed the door open and sauntered in. "Inspector Trudeau?" He called, glancing around the busy room until he caught sight of Andy and advanced.

"Ohh…" Andy groaned, purposely turning his attention to the file on his desk.

"Eric Lohman, Bay Weekly." Lohman went on undeterred.

"He's all yours." Darryl allowed, taking his coffee and leaving Andy with the reporter.

"I know who you are. What do you want?" Andy questioned coldly, still not looking up at Lohman.

Lohman dropped casually into the chair across from Andy, his gaze following Darryl out. "Um, a cup of coffee would be great…" He started only to trail off when Andy sent him a look that clearly said to get to the point. "Okay. What do you say I pick your brain about Prue Halliwell…" Andy froze at hearing her name from the reporter but forced himself into casual indifference. "… Name ring a bell…? It should. Her name keeps popping up in a lot of your murder cases. A lot of the unsolved ones."

Andy dropped his papers on his desk and turned his seat toward Lohman. "Is that a fact?" He asked neutrally.

Lohman nodded slightly. "Yeah, I got my sources. Cops love to talk. Especially if you pay them enough." Lohman explained.

"Get the hell out of here." Andy ordered, standing up and pulling his jacket off.

"So I assume you know all about Prue's unusual powers, right?" Lohman inquired pointedly. Andy once again froze halfway through pulling his jacket off. "Boy, that stopped you cold." Lohman chuckled.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Andy replied.

Lohman grinned and approached the cop. "Yeah, right, that's what she said too. Did you two rehearse your stories or what? I saw her in action at the park, Trudeau. She waved her hands and magically suspended that David Hatcher kid and his kidnapper in midair. It was, it was very cool. I just wish I'd had my camera…" Lohman lamented, pulling out a record player and pressing the 'record' button. "… Care to comment?"

He leaned forward as if he was going to comment. "No." Andy answered shortly.

Lohman irritably pulled his record player back. "Okay, I'll just change my story to a police cover-up instead." He threatened.

"I'm not covering up anything." Andy returned confidently.

"Really? Great. Then I guess you got nothing to worry about." Lohman replied sarcastically while Andy shrugged nonchalantly. "Just remember, I gave you a chance to work with me." He warned, leaving Andy to his thoughts.

Darryl came in a few minutes later. "What was that about?" He wondered, pointing back behind him where he had just passed Lohman in the hall.

Andy had turned back around and grabbed his jacket again. "Nothing." He answered, picking up the file on his desk and passing it back to Darryl. "You're gonna have to handle the ME case on your own." Andy explained.

"Why? Where are you going?" Darryl demanded suspiciously.

"I'm assigning myself to kidnappings." He responded before walking out the door without a second glance back at Darryl.

~PO4~

Josh's Office

Josh carefully rolled out a map over the table as Piper watched on eagerly. "Why exactly do you need this?" Josh asked curiously, his voice echoing his mild surprise.

"Uh, uh, a client at Quake is thinking of throwing an underground rave and we might cater it." Piper replied, thinking quickly and smiling mysteriously up at Josh.

"A party in a storm drain?" Josh repeated the basic idea in disbelief.

Piper nodded a little too enthusiastically and turned her gaze back to the map. "Yeah, he, uh, runs a roto-rooter-type company. It's kind of a theme thing." Piper fabricated.

Josh just let it go. He'd learned by now that she was quite keen in keeping her secrets to herself. "Yeah, well, sounds dank." He joked while Piper continued nodding and staring at the map. "Anyway…" Josh's voice forced her to look up at him. "… as long as you're here. Can we talk?"

Piper's eyes widened and she snatched for any excuse. "Uh, maybe later. I have to go…" she started, reaching out for the map, but Josh blocked her way and she was forced to stop.

"No, Piper. It cannot wait." Josh insisted.

"Somebody's a little anxious, huh?" Piper laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

"This is important, it could affect the rest of my life." He responded seriously.

Before he could speak again, Piper jumped in. "Well, not if we take precautions."

Josh simply looked confused at her interruption. "What?" He inquired.

"I… I'm not saying I'm ready for that. In fact, I'm not ready for that, but when I am ready, I will be taking precautions." Piper hastily continued.

Josh carefully leaned against his desk in front of Piper. "Piper, what are you talking about?" He questioned with a faint smile.

"Uh, having… sex." Piper answered hesitantly. She paused when Josh didn't respond. "You're not talking about that are you?" She realized. He shook his head. "Uh, what are you talking?" Piper mumbled, sounding embarrassed.

"My leaving." Josh replied.

Piper's forced smile faded as his words sunk in. "Leaving?" She exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yeah, I got offered a job down in Beverly Hills. I mean, it's not exactly my dream job, but it's a good opportunity. Look, my point is if I thought we had a future…" Josh began.

"Josh, this is all happening a little too fast." Piper interrupted.

"Yeah, I know, I know, and I'm sorry. But like it or not, you are the swing vote. Now, if you don't want me to go. I won't." He continued softly. Josh fell silent awaiting her answer.

Piper was completely silent for several agonizing moments before throwing her hands out in frustration and freezing him. She immediately spun around and began pacing. "Okay, we need to talk about this. If I ask you to stay then we're a couple and I'm not sure if I'm ready to be a couple, but if I tell you to leave and we could have been a good couple then, then I'll never know." She rambled before dropping her hands in defeat and pulling out her cell phone. "I need more time. I need lots and lots of time." Piper hissed, dialing a number as she returned to her position. She hid the phone under her jacket just as Josh unfroze.

Right on cue, Josh's office phone rang. "Uh, hold that thought." He told Piper, moving to answer the phone. "Yeah, hello?" Josh answered.

As soon as Josh had turned his back, Piper grabbed the edge of the map and took off out the door with it. Josh hung up and turned around to find Piper gone and the door of his office open.

~PO4~

Brent Miller's House

After introducing Brent to Paige and vice versa, Brent led the two Halliwell sisters to his couch where he took a seat with Phoebe next to him and Paige next to her.

"I remember their faces. It's like a nightmare that never ends…" Brent admitted when they asked him about the area. He took a moment to try and remember. "… They took me into this big area and there were a lot of pipes… I'm sorry, that's really all I remember." Brent apologized.

Phoebe sighed softly and glanced over at Paige, who just shrugged. "That's okay, Brent." Phoebe soothed though her voice radiated disappointment.

"You're disappointed." Brent realized.

"No, not at all." Phoebe assured hastily, looking to Paige for a little help.

"Yeah, I mean, we didn't really expect you to remember something that happened twenty years ago." Paige agreed, catching on to her sister's frantic hand movements for help.

Brent laughed and shook his head in disagreement to their comments. "Now, someone that can see your face might believe you, but your voice tells another story."

"Gave us away, huh?" Phoebe joked.

Brent nodded and smiled at the two sisters. He took a moment, seemingly staring straight at Paige and Phoebe, but, of course, he couldn't actually see them. "You have beautiful smiles." He complimented.

Paige tilted her head curiously. "How do you…?" She started but trailed off as Brent began to speak again, anticipating her question.

"I can hear it in your voice. See it in my mind." Brent explained. Phoebe gratefully reached out and took his hand, but whatever she was going to say was interrupted as she was pulled into a premonition.

Brent as a young boy, feeling his way through the storm drains after he escaped from the grimlocks. He passed over a sign that read 'SF PUC N̊˚ 12.'

Phoebe jerked out of the premonition to Brent's worried voice. "What's the matter? Are you okay?" He demanded, having felt her sudden tense.

Paige was watching Phoebe expectantly. "Pheebs, what did you…" She trailed off with a half-glance in Brent's direction.

"I'm fine." Phoebe assured Brent. She ignored Paige's question as Paige would quickly find out after her next question to Brent. "Um, Brent, when they took you, were you wearing a sweat shirt with jeans and black high tops?" She asked, squinting her eyes as she tried to remember the details of her premonition.

"Yeah, I think I was…" Brent allowed, turning a curious look to Phoebe. "How did you…?"

"And when you escaped were you running through water?" Phoebe interrupted eagerly.

Brent nodded quickly. "Yes, I remember that… in the tunnel." He responded.

Phoebe smiled triumphantly at Paige, who leaned forward in eagerness. "Okay, Brent, I need you to think really hard. Do you remember anything, anything at all about that location? Did you hear anything or feel anything?" Phoebe inquired.

"All I remember is this, uh, sound of this enormous generator… and maybe some cable cars." He realized thoughtfully.

"Cable cars?" Phoebe repeated.

"Well, that would narrow down the search significantly. There's only a few main lines in San Francisco. The boys would probably have been taken to the one closest to the park." Paige remarked.

Phoebe nodded slightly. "Hey, do you have a map?" She asked Brent before realizing what she had asked. "Oh, I'm sorry, that was so stupid." Phoebe apologized immediately.

"No, no, I actually do have map of that area. It's over here." Brent carefully stood up from the couch and felt his way across the room to his desk with a surprised Phoebe and Paige following. He pulled out a large book. "What are we looking for exactly?" He questioned.

"I don't know. Cable car turnaround maybe." Phoebe suggested, glancing back at Paige.

"Or a power plant. That could have been the generator you heard." Paige offered.

Brent opened the book and started flipping through the pages of small-area maps. His hands moved methodically over one of the pages. "Let's see… On this map, okay, there are two turnarounds on this page and, uh, right, here it is. There's a power plant here on Verick."

Phoebe's gaze flickered from the page to Brent. "How can you tell?" She wondered softly.

"Here, give me your hand." Brent replied, taking Phoebe's hand and running it over the page. "Now feel these three horizontal bumps followed by the two vertical. On this map, that's the sign for power plant." He explained, earning a smile from Phoebe.

Paige reluctantly reached out to touch Phoebe's shoulder and regain her elder sister's attention. "We should leave." She reminded. Phoebe nodded in agreement and carefully pulled her hand out of Brent's gentle hold.

Brent quickly turned and called to stop them. "Phoebe, how'd you know what I was wearing and where I was running? Are you some kind of psychic or something?"

"Uh, like, only different." Phoebe answered cryptically.

Brent nodded in understanding. "Right. That's how you've seen all these other monsters that you mentioned, isn't it?" Neither sister responded which was answer enough for him.

"You two, you're good people. That probably means that you have a strong aura. Please, be careful with these monsters." He pleaded.

"Well will." Paige promised while Phoebe reached out and took Brent's hand.

"Don't worry so much." Phoebe joked, but in such a way that he knew she took his wish seriously.


	38. Out of Sight (Part 2)

The Storm Drains

David crawled blindly to the other boy that was trapped with him in the linked cage. "Don't worry, Billy. My mom has a friend who's got supernatural powers. She'll get us out of here." He promised optimistically.

Billy didn't appear reassured as he didn't slow his crying or even move from his position curled on the ground.

One of the grimlocks pounded on the fence that held the boys. "Shut up!" The grimlock ordered before stalking off to join his companion. Halfway to the other grimlock, a figure faded into the shadows in front of him and stepped forward to reveal Alex. The grimlock immediately responded by using his aura sight only to find Alex clothed in a dark aura. They were on the same side.

Alex vaguely glanced at the two boys before letting his gaze return to the two grimlocks. "The Charmed Ones are coming. Prepare yourself." He warned cryptically before he faded out.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue leaned back against the chair at her desk, the phone held up to her ear as she conversed with Piper. "Did you hear about that philanthropist that was mysteriously strangled?" Prue asked pointedly.

"It's gotta be the grimlocks. That's how they kill." Piper answered from the other end, careful to keep her attention on the road as she drove. "We're running out of time. We have less than three hours, did you get the Schisandra root?" She demanded nervously.

"No, but I'm leaving now to pick it. Um, look, did Phoebe and Paige get anything out of Brent that might help us?" Prue inquired.

Andy was casually leaning against the door to Prue's office (unbeknownst to Prue), listening to her side of the conversation. "Who's Brent Miller?" He questioned, announcing his presence to the oblivious Prue.

Prue jumped at the unexpected intrusion, her eyes flickering up to meet Andy's. She vaguely heard Piper's "I'm not sure," answer. She didn't immediately respond and thus Piper called "Prue?" through the phone.

"I gotta go." Prue replied to Piper and quickly hung up. She turned her attention to the patiently waiting Andy. "Andy, hi, what are you doing here?" Prue asked with a hint of forced innocence.

Andy casually strolled forward. "Working on the kidnappings. Thought we should talk." He explained. 

Damn it, Prue. What have I told you about blocking me? 

Go away. It's Andy. I don't need you confusing my thoughts.

We have to find th…

Prue forced up a block against Piper's intrusion. At first Piper resisted but Prue stubbornly wouldn't let her complete her thought. She glanced up at Andy, acutely aware of how he was staring at her and she didn't know why. What was it he had said? Kidnappings? Prue nervously dropped her gaze to her desk as she grabbed several books together. "If you're here about the kidnappings, I've already told the police everything that I know." She lied smoothly as she walked to the bookcase where she began returning the stack in her hands.

Andy arched an eyebrow as he studied Prue's actions. She seemed to be focusing really hard on something and he highly doubted that it was the books in her hands. He let it go. They would be getting into that soon enough and he didn't want to scare her into silence. "Not according to Eric Lohman, you didn't. He stopped by the station, we had an interesting chat." Andy countered.

"Yeah, well, he's a reporter trying to make a name for himself. You can't believe anything he says." She returned, still avoiding his gaze.

"Normally, I don't. This time I do." Andy replied, stepping closer so that Prue had no choice but to meet his eyes. "We've been down this road too many times, Prue. I know you have a secret and I've had to accept that fact that you can't tell me or you don't want to tell me. Either way, it's not just me anymore. Lohman's onto you and he's not going to let go." He insisted as if willing her to understand. Prue sighed, dropping her gaze to the floor. Andy ran a hand through his hair in frustration at her continued silence. "Prue, I can't help you if you won't talk to me."

Prue hesitantly raised her eyes again. "Andy, I'm just never sure if it's better for you to know or not to know." She admitted softly.

"I remember a time when we could tell each other anything." Andy sighed. "There's nothing Lohman won't do to get this story. Watch your back." He warned before turning around and heading for the door.

Prue hesitated but a moment longer. "Andy…" She called. Andy paused at the door and turned back to her. "Thanks." She gratified. Andy smiled faintly and nodded in acknowledgment. She watched him leave before Prue turned away and grabbed her bags. She had some Schisandra root to pick up.

~PO4~

Verick Street

Paige and Phoebe appeared amidst the blue and white orbs at the end of the uninhabited street. Phoebe and Paige both took hold of the huge map they had gotten from Brent and held it open, trying to make sure they were in the right spot. Phoebe finally just shrugged and walked up to the storm drain entrance in front of them. With a tug, the door swung open with a deep creaking sound.

"Bingo." Phoebe exclaimed, turning to face Paige with a look of triumph. She frowned slightly when she saw Paige staring at the entrance with narrowed eyes. "What?" Phoebe prompted.

Paige shivered and pulled her jacket tighter around her. "Definitely the right place. I've got a chill." Paige answered, shivering again.

Phoebe smiled, her eyes flickering from the storm drain door to Paige and back again. "A chill? That's a new one." She laughed, earning a glare from Paige. "Oh, come on. We've got to get Prue and Piper." Phoebe rejoined Paige and the two orbed back out.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper pulled up to the walkway and stepped out of her jeep. She grabbed her bags and ran up the steps where she met Prue, whom had parked in the short driveway. "Did you get it?" Piper demanded, not even bothering to try and get the answer through Prue's telepathy.

"Yeah, I got it." Prue assured, holding up the small bag. She started for the door without even looking at Piper.

Piper frowned and reached out to stop Prue. "What's wrong? What happened with Andy?" Piper asked in concern.

Prue didn't immediately respond and reluctantly turned to face Piper. "He stopped by my office after Lohman stopped by his. I think he told Andy about my powers." She admitted wearily.

"Uh oh…" Piper mumbled, her eyes widening slightly. "What did you do?" She wondered.

"Same as I always do. I danced around the truth. It just doesn't feel right anymore." Prue sighed.

Piper was quickly hit with a myriad of emotions that no doubt came from Prue's swirling thoughts regarding her ex-boyfriend. "Next time you do that, warn me." She complained in an attempt to lighten the mood. Prue smiled faintly in acknowledgment. "Look, maybe you should…" Piper trailed off as she caught sight of a baby carriage rolling across the road… right in front of an 18-wheeler. "Oh my god!" Piper exclaimed, throwing her hands out and freezing the street.

Prue immediately spun around and dashed toward the scene as soon as she'd comprehended what had happened. "Where is the mother?" Prue snapped, glaring around the street, trying to find the parents of the baby.

Piper reached in and moved the blanket to find that the carriage was empty. "Oh, thank god." She breathed in relief.

Prue's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Wait a second, since when did the Johnson's get a baby?" Prue realized, her jaw dropping as she saw Lohman perched next to the driveway with his camera pointed where the sisters had been standing moments previous. "That damn reporter." She cursed. "Look!" Prue pointed in the corresponding direction for Piper's benefit.

"Okay, uh, confused." Piper hissed.

"Alright, that's Lohman. This is a set up. We need to get back to where we were before everything unfreezes, go!" Prue ordered, leading the way back up the steps to the Manor.

Prue stopped in her spot while Piper turned to face her, exactly as they had been before. "Don't forget to put your hands up." Prue reminded. Piper nodded and tossed her purse over her shoulder. She got her hands up just in time for the street to unfreeze. The 18-wheeler blew the horn as it just barely missed the carriage which slammed into the curb at the side of the street. Neither sister responded.

Don't look, just go inside… inside, go, go!

Right, inside. Good idea, Prue, brilliant.

Piper could almost feel Prue roll her eyes as she slowly turned around and went inside with Prue following close behind her.

~PO4~

Lohman turned a curious eye between the door the two sisters had disappeared in and the fallen baby carriage. His eyes dropped to his camera, hoping that it might have picked up something. He replayed the tape, watching as he kicked the baby carriage into the street and then turned the screen to the sisters. There was a faint jump in the play and he smiled triumphantly. "Purse on right shoulder… purse on left shoulder." He whispered, pointing to Piper's purse that switched shoulders. Lohman rewound it just to make sure.  
"  
Purse on right shoulder, purse on left shoulder. What do you know? She's got another power. Gotcha."

~PO4~

Prue peeked out the window almost twenty minutes after going inside, to find Lohman waiting in his car and watching the house with an eager expression. Prue let the curtain go and it returned to blocking the window just as Piper's irritated voice sounded.

"I cannot believe his is still out there!" Piper exclaimed, throwing her hands up dramatically as she paced back and forth around the room.

"Tell me about it." Prue sighed. She leaned back against the wall next to the window, her eyes following Piper's movements.

Both sisters jumped as Paige and Phoebe orbed into the room. "What are you two doing?" Piper nearly attacked them the moment they were no longer a swirl of lights.

Paige appeared taken aback while Phoebe tilted her head curiously at her sisters' solemn expression. "What's wrong?" Phoebe asked.

"Didn't you see that guy parked out front in his car?" Prue inquired, pointing back behind her at the window.

"Well, no. We orbed in." Paige stated as if that was obvious.

Piper looked to Prue, who nodded faintly in silent agreement. "No more magic. Especially orbing." Piper ordered, narrowing her eyes at Paige pointedly.

Phoebe and Paige exchanged their own confused glance before glancing at Prue for an explanation. Prue sighed and pulled the curtain away from the window. "That's the reporter I told you about. He's staking us out."

"What?" Phoebe demanded while Paige's mouth dropped.

"He tricked us into using our powers and nearly caught us." Piper continued in a very subdued voice.

"But fortunately we figured out what he was doing before he got any proof." Prue finished.

Paige sighed loudly. "Great." She muttered. "What about the kids?" Paige asked.

Piper returned to her nervous pacing. "I don't know, we can't go looking for them when he's camped outside. We already have less than two hours." She fretted.

The Halliwell sisters fell silent as the doorbell rang, echoing through their house. The youngest three looked to Prue, who acknowledged them with a faint nod. With a look of annoyance dancing in her eyes, Prue squeezed past them to the door where the cause of her annoyance waited.

As soon as the front door opened, Lohman stepped over the threshold. "Hey, how's it going? Mind if I use your bathroom?" He asked, a little too enthusiastically. Lohman threw his hand out to stop the door as Prue attempted to slam it in his face. "Hey, don't bother using your magical powers on me. I've already hid the video tape." Lohman openly mocked.

Prue didn't appear phased by his comment. "What videotape?" She inquired emotionlessly.

"Yeah, you know, best I could guess is somehow one of you stopped time…" He started. In the background, Piper tensed while Phoebe and Paige exchanged glances that mirrored

Prue's look that could kill. "… Or rewound it. I don't know. What I do know is that I got the whole thing on tape." Lohman announced triumphantly.

"You're bluffing." Prue stated.

"Am I?" Lohman challenged with a grin. "How do you explain your sister's purse magically jumping from her right shoulder to her left shoulder instantaneously? You screwed up and I got the proof." He laughed, rubbing his hands eagerly. His gaze never left Prue. "Okay, now here's the deal. I already got my story ready to print, but all I really want now from you is a tell-all exclusive. I'll write the book, we can share in the movie rights, foreign sales, distributions…" Lohman trailed off as Prue harshly pushed him back out the door.

"… It'll be a good thing." He insisted just before the door slammed. "Okay, I'll just wait outside until you're ready to talk." His voice carried through the door.

Prue turned back to her sisters, obviously barely restraining her anger. Phoebe was the first to dare break the ensuing silence. "What are we gonna do?" Phoebe questioned, completely at a loss.

"Alright, look, I will stay here and finish the potions. You guys, go try and find the boys. Buy us some time. Just keep on freezing those grimlocks, okay, until I get there." Prue decided, looking straight at Piper and making it clear that Piper was the one in charge.

"What about Lohman?" Piper demanded with a glare back at the door.

"Don't worry about him. I will stop him from following you." Prue assured them. She glanced back at Paige. "Only orb here in an emergency." She added as an afterthought.

Paige frowned at the thought. "You mean I actually have to ride in a car?" She exclaimed dramatically.

Phoebe grinned and wrapped an arm around Paige's shoulder. "Come on, a change of scenery will do you good. When was the last time you've had to drive?"

"Friday the 13th and I didn't go anywhere. Before that… can't remember." Paige answered dejectedly while Piper rolled her eyes and Prue laughed softly.

Prue quickly ushered them toward the back door. "Go, I'll meet you there." She interrupted their conversation. She waited until they had disappeared into the kitchen before walking out the front door to find Lohman sprawled across their steps. "Lohman, I've been thinking about what you said. Maybe we can work something out." Prue called feigning thoughtfulness.

Lohman was on his feet and staring at Prue in disbelief. "Why don't I believe you?" He asked rhetorically.

Prue returned his smile, inwardly cringing at the act. "Oh, I don't know, maybe it's your reporter instincts." She offered flirtatiously. Lohman was easily buying her distraction.

Over his shoulder, she could just make out her three sisters sneaking to Piper's jeep. The doors shut the same time the engine roared and Lohman, immediately realizing the trick, spun around in time to see the jeep drive off. "Oops, busted." Prue mocked with another grin.

"Nice try." Lohman returned, dashing down the steps toward his car.

Prue narrowed her eyes and flicked her wrist at a garden tool that telekinetically flew through the air and punctured one of the tires of his car. The tire went flat and Lohman pulled to a hasty stop before spinning accusingly back to Prue. 

"You did that! I know you did that!"

"Really? Prove it." Prue challenged with a look that said just that.

~PO4~

The Storm Drains

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige left Piper's jeep outside the storm drain entrance at the end of Verick Street and climbed down the ladder into the dark tunnels. Piper led the way and jumped off the last few rungs and landed in a puddle. She screwed her face up in disgust.

"Ew… I'm not wearing the right shoes for this." Piper complained, turning her gaze upwards where Paige was coming down followed closely by Phoebe.

Paige stopped next to Piper and pulled her jacket tighter around her. "This place is disgusting." She agreed, careful not to touch any of the disgusting walls.

"Which way?" Piper asked Phoebe.

Phoebe pulled out the map and quickly scanned over the area. She followed a highlighted line that was drawn by Paige for the most probable location of the boys. "Uh, light, light." She ordered lightly and Piper's flashlight swiveled over to illuminate the map. "The pipe junction is… that way." Phoebe pointed in the corresponding direction.

Once again Piper took the lead with Phoebe and Paige just behind her. "This place gives me the creeps." Paige groaned, linking arms with Phoebe.

Phoebe smiled in silent agreement. "So Piper, is this a good time to talk about how it went with Josh and the talk?" She wondered as a distraction from the really disgusting storm drains.

"No, it's not." Piper answered shortly.

"Okay…" Paige mumbled and the three sisters fell silent.

~PO4~

Brent Miller's House

Andy leaned against the door that led to the balcony, watching the waves of the ocean crash into the beach. Every now and then his gaze flickered over the empty room, mildly impatient to talk to Brent. After having heard his name in Prue's office and then investigated it, he had known the sisters were working on the kidnappings and he wanted to help them. He just had to find out where they were as Prue sure wouldn't tell him.

"Inspector Trudeau?" Brent called as he was led in by his service dog.

Andy was pulled from his thoughts and he eagerly approached Brent, shaking the other man's hand politely. "Yes, Mr. Miller." He announced his presence.

"My housekeeper said you wanted to talk to me. Is it about the kidnappings?" Brent asked.

"Maybe." Andy answered cryptically, taking a moment to figure out what was needed to know the most. "Has a Prue Halliwell come to talk to you by any chance?" Andy questioned curiously.

Brent shook his head. "No." He replied while Andy looked vaguely disappointed. "… But I have spoken to a Phoebe Halliwell and her sister Paige." Brent continued.

Andy suddenly appeared very interested again. "Really?"

"I think I know where they went if you think that will help you." Brent offered helpfully.

~PO4~

The Storm Drains

"Who knew anything could smell so bad." Piper muttered in disgust.

Phoebe pulled to a stop as she saw a sign on the wall. "Now that's a good sign." She commented.

Paige also stopped and followed Phoebe's gaze. "The sign from your premonition?" Paige guessed.

"What premonition?" Piper demanded curiously.

"I had a vision of Brent…" Phoebe started but was cut off as Piper jumped back upon seeing a rat in the beam of her flashlight.

"Ew!" Piper exclaimed, backing away while Phoebe and Paige tensed but otherwise didn't move.

Paige glanced over at Piper just in time to see her elder sister slip over the edge of a vent in the floor. "Piper!" Paige screamed in warning, but Piper had already fallen in and was knocked unconscious as she landed against the bottom of the vent.

"Piper! Oh my god!" Phoebe yelled, running to the edge and peering over. Their frantic voices carried through the storm drains, alerting the grimlocks and the children of their presence. "Okay… um, I'm gonna go get help. Paige, guard her." 

She ordered, nearing panic, but Paige nodded faintly in agreement. Phoebe didn't wait a moment longer. She dashed for the entrance where she would gain signal in her cell phone. A very pale Paige was left behind with the unconscious Piper.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Prue was in the kitchen stirring the finished product of her potion that would kill the grimlocks. "I feel like I should be cackling." She joked to herself, thinking of the many witches she had seen on television brewing potions. Her thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing and her eyes flickered to the phone that was on the counter. "Oh…" Prue mumbled, turning off the stove top before running over to the phone. "Hello?" She answered.

Phoebe paced on the other end of the phone. She hesitated when she heard Prue's voice. "Prue? Uh, Piper's hurt and I can't get to her." She admitted as calmly as she could.

Prue tensed at the thought. She had noticed that Piper hadn't telepathically been keeping her informed, but it hadn't occurred to her that it was because she was hurt and didn't… or couldn't expend the energy. "Uh, okay, where are you?" Prue demanded after a quick moment.

"At the end of Verick Street. Hurry, okay, and don't forget the potion." Phoebe replied hastily.

"I'm on my way." Prue promised, hanging up and running back to the counter to grab the potions that she already had ready. She only paused long enough to pull her jacket on before shooting out the door with the potions in hand. She stopped when she saw her car with the hood up and obviously having been tampered with.

Before she could think about it too hard, Lohman came out from behind it with his camera pointed at Prue. "I didn't want you to leave me behind like your sisters did." He explained.

"Fix it now!" Prue ordered her anger rising just at the reporter's presence.

"Or what? You're gonna hurt me?" Lohman mocked before zooming in on his video camera. "Go ahead, just let me get you in focus."

"Look, I don't have time for this, all right? Piper's hurt and two boys' lives are at stake." She snapped in frustration.

Lohman didn't turn his camera away. "Do you know where they are?" He asked pointedly.

"Yes." Prue hissed shortly. She sighed when he didn't appear to back down or even consider it. She was left with either calling Paige and leaving a passively-powered Phoebe by herself with a hurt Piper or just giving in to Lohman. Prue couldn't risk anything happening to her sisters. She just hoped giving in to Lohman wouldn't ultimately be worse off. "All right, you win." She whispered.

"I win?" Lohman repeated eagerly. "What's my prize?" He questioned with a grin.

Prue sighed again, avoiding looking at the camera. "I'm a witch with magical powers." She admitted.

"A witch? Witch?" Lohman laughed while Prue cast him a dangerous glare. "Oh, this is great. Great. Terrific. Let's go." Lohman decided, pulling some cables out of his pocket and moving to fix Prue's car.

~PO4~

Verick Street

Prue drove to the end of Verick where Phoebe had told her and parked next to Piper's jeep. She could just see Phoebe waving for her to hurry up. Lohman was out of the car before Prue had even put her car in park. When she finally stepped out, Phoebe was glaring daggers at Lohman who had the camera pointed at the younger sister.

"What is he doing here?" Phoebe demanded, fixing her glare on Prue.

"Making my career." Lohman answered lightly. He almost looked like a child on Christmas day.

Prue rolled her eyes and stomped up to Phoebe. "I didn't have a choice." She mumbled dejectedly. "Where's Piper and Paige?" She asked, deciding it best to get on to business and worry about Lohman later.

"They're in through this way. Come on." Phoebe insisted, leading the way to the storm drain entrance after taking one of the potions from Prue.

Lohman quickly followed but Prue spun back to face him. "You just stay here all right? It's too dangerous." She ordered.

Lohman glared, obviously not taking that order too well. "No, no, no, I'm coming with you." He argued. He was so not going to let them do everything without getting any proof.

"No!" Prue snapped. Her glare was enough to stop Lohman in his tracks. "Look, there are too many lives at stake including my sisters'. I'll not have you risking them. Stay where you are, you'll get your story." She promised, following Phoebe inside.

Lohman put his hands up innocently and backed away as Prue disappeared. "Okay, I'll just wait out here." He agreed. He waited several moments for the sisters to get farther into the storm drain before smiling slyly and following them inside.

~PO4~

The Storm Drains

"Piper? Piper, can you hear me?" Paige called softly from where she was kneeling over the edge of the vent. "Piper?" She called again, a little louder and more urgent.

Piper groaned as she slowly became aware of her sister's voice saying her name. "Paige? Is that you?" She mumbled, trying to push herself up into a sitting position. A sudden dizziness pushed Piper back down again.

Paige smiled in relief and laid down on her stomach so that her hand would reach farther down for Piper to grab onto. "I need you to grab my hand so I can orb you out." She explained gently. Piper looked confused as if she didn't quite understand what Paige wanted her to do. "Come on, Piper. Grab my hand." Piper's eyes lit up in sudden realization and she forced herself up to grab Paige's hand. As soon as she felt the contact, Paige orbed out and both her and Piper reappeared on the side of the vent. Paige had to work to keep her elder sister on her feet.

At that moment, the two grimlocks turned the corner behind Piper and Paige. They stopped and stared at the two sisters in mild surprise before recovering and using their aura sight on them. The oblivious sisters were clothed in a golden light and the grimlocks reached their hands out and pulled at the aura, effectively choking them. The weakened Piper dropped immediately to her knees while Paige was able to keep standing for a time. However, the sudden dizziness kept them from coming up with a way out. Paige couldn't even think to orb.

Prue and Phoebe dashed around the other corner. "Prue!" Phoebe screamed, her eyes widening at the scene in front of her. Prue threw her hand to the side and telekinetically sent a large iron pipe at the nearest grimlock, the one choking Piper. That grimlock was pounded back into the wall where it scrambled up and escaped down the alley. The other grimlock was distracted and Piper took the moment to grab Paige and pull her down out of the grimlock's sight followed by a flick of her wrists to freeze the demon. Prue prepared to throw the remaining grimlock when Alex faded in and grabbed her hand from behind. With a powerful throw, Prue was slammed into the nearest wall where Alex quickly  
advanced on her. Phoebe karate kicked him back to the best of her ability while holding onto the two potions. Prue recovered and pushed him away with a telekinetic blast that sent him soaring past Piper and Paige. Piper and Paige forced themselves to their feet while Phoebe bent down and helped Prue back to hers. Alex was already waiting.  
"  
Back!" Paige yelled, sending a stream of orbs against Alex, but he faded out at the last moment. He reappeared next to Piper and pulled her tight against him with an energy ball formed in his free hand and threateningly close to Piper.

"Piper!" The three sisters screamed, each freezing in the hopes that Alex wouldn't hurt her if they made no moves. Beside Paige, the grimlock unfroze and hit her hard enough that she lost her balance and slammed into the ground.

Phoebe, who had sat the potions down to help Prue back to her feet, ran forward. "Don't- hit- my- sister!" She warned, giving the grimlock a punch for every word she said. Alex took the opportunity to throw the energy ball at Prue who was only just able to dodge it.

Paige's eyes frantically searched for something to throw… anything. "Stone!" She called, a large brick disappearing in orbs and soaring towards Alex. Alex faded out with Piper and the hunk of rock flew through the air where it slammed into the wall behind where Alex had just been. Finding himself without an ally, the grimlock broke away from Phoebe's vicious attacks and ran in search of his partner.

Silence engulfed the area around Prue, Phoebe, and Paige as they realized that Piper had just been kidnapped by a warlock. Paige's eyes suddenly widened as she sensed a different being approach. "Prue! Andy's here!"

~PO4~

Verick Street

Andy parked his police car next to the jeep and Prue's car. He didn't even bother turning the blue and red emergency lights off as he ran for the open door to the storm drains. He easily recognized the two cars already here and that meant the sisters were inside. Pulling out a flashlight and his gun, Andy walked cautiously, yet quickly, inside.

~PO4~

The Storm Drains

Lohman had his camera pointed at himself and he hastily flattened his hair so not to look unclassy on video. "This is Eric Lohman, reporting live…" He started, turning the camera so that it could take in the surroundings. "… I'm in a storm drain, underground, following four sisters, all of them witches. As they search for children, who may have been abducted by a strange kind of…" Lohman trailed off as the translucent shadow often seen with Alex became suddenly visible in front of him. Lohman yelled but the demon reached out and grabbed his throat.

"Exposing magic isn't part of the plan." He explained ominously before twisting Lohman's neck to the side and letting him drop lifelessly to the ground. He turned to the open video camera and flames shot from his hand and incinerated the piece of technology along with the tape. He heard footsteps and he was once again translucent.

~PO4~

Prue didn't immediately respond as she was still trying to process the fact that Piper was missing. In a whirl it hit her. "Andy?" She repeated, her voice bordering on the edge of panic. Paige nodded nervously and Prue took off in the direction of the entrance. "Go see if he's outside and if he is don't let him come in." Prue ordered, obviously speaking to both of them.

"Wait, Prue! You shouldn't go by yourself with the demons…" Phoebe started.

"Then hurry up and get back." Prue snapped, already out of sight.

Phoebe and Paige exchanged a terrified glance before they linked arms and Paige obediently orbed them out front.

~PO4~

Andy carefully continued his trek through the empty storm drain alleys. He paused when he saw Lohman's lifeless body on the ground. Andy's eyes scoured the area for the attacker but didn't see anyone. He kneeled down and felt for a pulse before pulling back and continuing to look around at his surroundings. The translucent shadow moved behind him before becoming fully visible. His dark eyes fixed on Andy as he formed another fire ball in his hand. Andy saw him and jumped to his feet. He wasted no time in firing his gun. The bullets pierced the demon's body, but the holes filled in and he looked as if nothing had happened.

"Andy!" Prue screamed, bolting around the corner without a second thought. After having heard the gun shots, she wasted no time in being careful. The demon ignored Andy and prepared to toss the fire ball at the oblivious Prue. Andy, realizing his intent, used all his weight to slam into him, successfully knocking his aim to the side. Prue jumped sideways as the fireball flew right past her. Her eyes quickly took in the scene and she threw her hand out against the demon. He flew back into the wall and she took in his appearance for the first time. Dark hair, dark eyes, a tattoo, probably a symbol for his demonic faction… the tattoo! Prue didn't wait for him to make another move. She saw the jagged piece of  
metal on the ground and with a flick of her fingers sent it soaring into the middle of the large tattoo on the demon's arm. The tattoo glowed, the demon yelled in defiance, and there was a flash of light as he exploded. Andy stared in wide-eyed wonder where the demon had been moments before as he slowly regained his feet. His gaze flickered to a very nervous and yet relieved looking Prue. "Uh, you okay?" Prue asked softly.

"Yeah, thanks." Andy gratified, moving away from the scorch mark that was now on the sewer floor and closer to Prue. An awkward silence fell between them, broken only when Andy chuckled softly. Prue looked completely confused at his reaction. "Déjà vu." He explained. "We've already been through this."

Prue's eyebrows knitted together in further confusion. "You remember?" She asked dumbfounded. She thought back to the Truth Spell and she had been thoroughly convinced that he didn't remember.

Andy narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to figure out if she'd been lying the week before. "You were the one that didn't remember." He pointed out.

"Huh?" Prue prompted. She was starting to get a headache.

"Last week. Brendan's brothers." Andy reminded uncertainly.

Prue's eyes widened in realization. "I did use my powers in front of you! Why didn't you tell me when I asked." Prue demanded.

Andy seemed to realize that she still didn't remember that occasion which meant… "There was another time? One I don't remember?" He pressed.

"Um, well…" She started but then shook her head. "Okay, look, I will tell you everything, but now really isn't a good time." Prue decided, closing the remaining distance between them. "I need you to go back up and wait."

"Prue, I'm not leaving you…" Andy trailed off. Now that she was closer he could see the cut on her head. "… Are you bleeding?" He questioned, his voice suddenly worried.

Prue's hand flew up to the pain in her head and she lightly touched it. She winced slightly and pulled her hand back and saw the blood. Well, that would explain the headache.

"Yeah, uh, I hit a wall. No big deal." She replied as if it was an everyday occurrence. Andy started to reply but stopped when Phoebe and Paige orbed in front of him and Prue. He instinctively pointed his gun at the two sisters that were disguised by the blue and white lights. "No." Prue hissed, placing her hand on Andy's and making him lower the gun.

"Andy's not up there. Did you find…" Paige began only to freeze when she saw Andy right in front of her.

"Oh my god, Andy!" Phoebe exclaimed loudly.

"Oh, I'm so busted!" Paige whined, glancing apologetically at Prue.

Prue quickly stepped forward since Andy was too busy staring in shock at the sudden appearance of Phoebe and Paige. "He already knew." She assured them casually. Phoebe and

Paige cast her looks that clearly said they wanted an elaboration. "Translucent shadowy thing attacked him and I vanquished it." She explained hastily.

"Yeah, what the hell was that thing?" Andy inquired once he'd gotten over his initial shock.

Prue frowned thoughtfully. "Uh, a translucent shadowy thing…" She offered with a shrug. Andy rolled his eyes at her answer. "What? I'm not an expert in demonology." She snapped, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Demonology?" Paige giggled, earning a glare from Prue.

"Anyways, Paige, you're going to take Andy up to the street, okay?" Prue ordered as much as asked.

Andy didn't appear receptive to the plan. "Prue, I already told you…"

"Do I have to use my power on you?" Prue interrupted, a warning in her blue eyes.

Andy's gaze flickered to the scorch mark on the sewer floor and he thought better of his argument. "I'll meet you up on the street." He agreed, heading for the entrance.

Paige smirked faintly. "Uh, Andy, we're not walking." She stated. Andy paused appearing confused.

Phoebe passed one of the potions back to Prue. "Wait, what about Piper?" She demanded and all the humor in the situation evaporated, leaving a tense silence.

"Piper?" Andy repeated, sensing the tension. Something had happened.

"Piper will never forgive us if we don't go get the boys." Prue finally decided. "Paige, fill Andy in and see if you can sense her. Phoebe and I will go find the boys and come right back." She looked at her sisters for arguments or agreements.

"Fine." Paige agreed, walking up to Andy. She grabbed his arm and the two disappeared amidst orbs.

Phoebe sighed and turned to Prue. "I don't know about this, Prue." She admitted.

"The sooner we find the boys the sooner we can find Piper. She wouldn't want us to let them die." Prue argued though it was a little half-hearted. She certainly didn't want to lose the boys, but losing Piper… she couldn't even imagine. Phoebe finally nodded and followed as Prue turned in the unexplored direction. She cast a quick glance over Lohman's body and noted the scorch mark and the remains of the camera. She was at least satisfied that the tape was of no use though she really did wish he hadn't had to die. Prue pulled out the map as she led the way while Phoebe pointed the flashlight so that they could read it. "Okay, so we should be coming up on feeder drain right about now…" Prue read. A  
grimlock jumped out of the shadows in front of them and they both screamed, hastily backing up. Prue ripped the top off of the jar of potion in Phoebe's hand before Phoebe tossed it on the grimlock. Prue and Phoebe held tightly onto each other as they watched the grimlock screech and disintegrate before their eyes. Prue's jaw had dropped while

Phoebe looked mildly disgusted. "Great, just what we need. More toxic waste in our sewers." Prue joked, replacing the top on the jar. "That worked well." She remarked.

"Yeah." Phoebe agreed with a half smile. They pushed open a door into another section of the storm drain system and they split up to cover ground. "David?" Phoebe called.

David slowly sat up at the sound of his name. "Please help me." He responded pleadingly.

Phoebe followed his voice and froze when she found the fenced in area that held the two little boys. "David!" She recognized excitedly, but her smile faded when she took in his clouded eyes. "Oh god… Prue, I found them!" She yelled. Prue spun around at her sister's voice only to find the other grimlock right there. Before she could do anything, the grimlock pulled at her aura, choking her. Prue dropped the potion and her hand flew to her neck before she dropped to her knees. "Prue!" Phoebe screamed, running forward and hitting the grimlock over the head with her flashlight. The grimlock turned his attention to Phoebe and began choking her instead.

Prue glared at the demon and she looked desperately at the potion that lay broken on the ground in front of her. She focused and threw her hand at the grimlock. The potion flew from a puddle on the ground right into the grimlocks face. He shrieked and disintegrated, freeing Phoebe from his choking grip. "Are you okay?" Prue whispered, slowly getting to her feet.

"Are you okay?" Phoebe returned in concern.

"Yeah, where's David?" Prue asked.

Phoebe pointed toward the cage. "Over there." She led the way and the two sisters stopped just outside it. As they watched, David's eyesight was restored.

"I can see! I can see you!" David exclaimed in excitement and Prue and Phoebe smiled at each other. "I knew you had magic powers." The child went on.

Their smiles faded to a look of concern. "Oh…" Prue mumbled, biting her lip slightly. "Um, come on, get your friend and let's get out of here." She ordered gently.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Darryl walked up to Andy's desk where his partner sat appearing deep in thought over something or another. Andy had come in with the two boys and three of the Halliwell sisters with hardly an explanation. He was acting suspicious. Cryptic, pleased and yet worried, and the sisters. It was all un-Andy-like. Maybe it was just the presence of the sisters. It just seemed that every time they were involved everything just went crazy. Whatever it was, Darryl avoided bringing them up as he knew Andy wouldn't likely talk at all.

"Exactly how did you know the kids were down there again?" Darryl finally asked, stopping next to Andy's desk.

Andy suddenly appeared very interested in getting the file and paperwork taken care of and done. "Anonymous tip." He answered casually without a glance at Darryl.

"And what about the kidnappers?" Darryl wondered.

"Kidnappers? There weren't any kidnappers. Kids followed a kitten into the storm drains. Got lost." Andy explained forcing a hint of amusement into his tone.

Darryl nodded, obviously not believing a word of it. "Really? How do you explain finding Lohman down there with a broken neck?"

"Must have slipped when he went down there after them." Andy replied, glancing up at Darryl for the first time. "You know, anything for a story. That's too bad." He added nonchalantly.

"Yeah, real shame." Darryl went along with it. He glanced around them to make sure no one was paying them any attention as he leaned against Andy's desk. "You don't really expect me to believe all this, do you?" Darryl lowered his voice to keep the question private.

Andy nodded slightly. "For now." He responded and Darryl nodded in understanding, both silently agreeing to just go with it until another time.

Darryl turned his attention to the lobby where he could just see Prue and Paige waiting against one of the walls. "In that case, you can tell the sisters they are allowed to leave." He decided, turning around and heading back to the break room.

~PO4~

Phoebe traversed through the crowded lobby of the station, trying to get to her two sisters. Her eyes lingered on the reunited mothers and their little boys for a moment before joining Prue and Paige. "Have they said anything?" Phoebe questioned nervously as she joined them in leaning against a desk.

"No, they just got back from the hospital, but who knows what they'll say once the police start questioning them." Prue groaned softly.

"So much for our secret." Phoebe lamented.

Paige leaned forward so as not to let anyone overhear their conversation. "What are we going to do? How do we even go about trying to find Piper?" She asked dejectedly.

"The only thing we can really do is check the book for a way to find her." Prue replied.

"But I can't sense her and you can't hear her… what makes you think a magical solution will find her?" Paige argued.

Prue shrugged. "Maybe there's something in there that isn't focused on her. Like maybe a way to track down Alex or something." She suggested.

Phoebe sighed and looked away. "Too bad you vanquished his friend. We could have interrogated him or something."

"Well, the best thing we can do right now is just get out of here." Prue pointed out mildly.

"Why are we still here anyways?" Paige grumbled. It wasn't like they were doing anything except maybe moral support for Andy as he flat out lied for them. However, Andy wasn't even in the room so they couldn't be helping much.

"In case Andy didn't find a way to keep us uninvolved and we need to place statements." Prue answered shortly.

"I guess that's a good reason." Phoebe admitted. "Okay, so we check the book first and then what? Take down every building in San Francisco until we find out where they're hiding her?" She asked sarcastically.

Paige glared at Phoebe for her sarcasm. "If you have a better idea then we're open." She snapped.

Phoebe returned the glare. "I'm just saying that neither of those options are going to get us anywhere." Phoebe returned sharply. "Fine, forgetting that. What are we going to do about her job? And Josh? People are going to get suspicious." She offered.  
"  
Don't worry, I'll deal with the restaurant." Prue decided and Phoebe and Paige cast her a curious glance. "As long as the restaurant stays organized they won't mind if Piper has to take a 'sick week.'" She elaborated.

"Oh yeah, and you're the queen of organization." Paige teased in an effort to lighten the mood.

Phoebe couldn't help but giggle softly at that. "If we're going by our strengths… I can deal with Josh."

"So I really think we should go see if we can leave now and get started." Paige suggested, earning two nods of agreement.

Prue, Phoebe, and Paige started for the door where Andy was when Phoebe caught sight of Brent in the doorway. "There's Brent." Phoebe realized. "Um, I'm going to talk to him. You guys go on." She allowed. "Hey, Brent!" Phoebe called enthusiastically. She paused when she remembered he couldn't actually see her. "Um, over here!" Brent turned in the direction of her voice and approached while Prue and Paige went to the other section of the station. "Hi." Phoebe greeted when he was in front of her.

"Hi." Brent repeated.

"Where's your dog?" Phoebe wondered after noticing that it wasn't with him.

Brent smiled and took off his sunglasses. His eyes were no longer cloudy as he beamed down at Phoebe. "He's, uh, retired." He explained.

Phoebe smiled but stared at him in wonder. "You can see?" She demanded excitedly, earning a nod from Brent. "But how did that…" Phoebe trailed off uncertainly.

"I don't know. I mean, you tell me. I mean, someone must have slayed those monsters. Do you know anything about it?" Brent asked curiously. Phoebe made a motion of zipping her mouth closed which was answer enough for Brent. He laughed softly. "That's all right. If anyone understands the danger of telling amazing stories, I sure do." He assured her.

Phoebe smiled gratefully. "I was right, you do have a beautiful smile." He complimented and then turned his attention to the little boys with their mothers. "Are those the boys? Maybe I should have a little talk with them." Brent offered.

"That would be so great." Phoebe whispered. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." Brent gratified, turning away from Phoebe and approaching the children.

~PO4~

Andy saw Prue and Paige come in and he quickly read the silent question in their eyes. He left the report half-finished and joined them in the doorway. "You're allowed to leave." He told them softly after glancing around and ensuring no one was listening in on them.

"No statements?" Paige asked curiously.

"No statements." Andy answered. "I took care of it." He added as an afterthought. His gaze flickered away from Paige and to Prue.

Paige seemed to take the hint and she started to back away. "Um, I'm gonna go get Phoebe. We'll, uh, meet you at the house." She decided, spinning around and leaving Prue with Andy.

Prue smiled slightly and watched as Paige left before turning her attention to Andy. "So now you know…"

"… And we both remember." Andy finished her thought with a smirk.

"Where do we go from here?" Prue wondered, tilting her head to side questioningly.

"That's a good question…" Andy started but trailed off as the sound of many reporters (footsteps, cameras clicking, and questions) advanced on them. He saw Prue shift uncomfortably. "Just start by finding Piper." He suggested before turning around to meet the reporters. Andy strategically blocked the path to Prue, just in case they wanted an outside opinion. They would have to find someone else.

Prue appeared mildly disappointed as she watched the reporters steal Andy's attention from her, but she turned away and slowly left so as not to draw attention to herself. Andy was right. She had a sister… her best friend to find. And woe to anyone, demons or mortals, that got in her way.

~PO4~

The Underworld Cavern

Alex advanced upon a side cavern entrance that had two demons placed as guards on either side. He waved his hands for them to move and with an awkward bow they scrambled out of the way. Alex didn't acknowledge them anymore as he stepped inside and found the witch still in the very back of the cavern where he'd left her. She was bound and appeared to be in some kind of unconscious state though there were no physical wounds on her. Alex watched her as he paced back and forth. There was yell from outside the cavern and Alex saw a flash of fire across the entrance. It died down and in swept a warlock of higher level than Alex. Alex immediately dropped into a bow. "My lord." He greeted,  
slowly straightening up.

The mysterious warlock acknowledged Alex with the slightest of nods before turning his ominous gaze on the unconscious Piper. "Which one is she?" He demanded.

"Piper, the second eldest." Alex answered without delay. Delay usually ended in being vanquished.

The warlock's eyes narrowed in anger. "You promised me the eldest. She's the most powerful. I want her power." He warned, his voice growing dangerously loud.

Alex had the sense to drop into another bow. "The fun has just begun. The eldest will come for her sister in time." He explained quickly. "The sisters, particularly the eldest and the second youngest do not get along when Piper is taken away. It will tear them apart from the inside. With them focused on us, you can send in our agent. They won't expect a cop until it's too late. We have them cornered from three different angles." Alex insisted, silently praying that his boss would agree with the assessment.

There was a tense silence while the leading warlock thought of Alex's proposal. He had to admit, if rather reluctantly, that it was a good plan. "I've forgiven you for your last slipup. Are you sure you can redeem yourself?"

Alex narrowed his eyes but dropped his head to stare at the ground so his lord wouldn't see his anger. As if he had a choice. If he didn't redeem himself he would die. If he made it through this encounter alive, there was a chance, if ever so small, that he would succeed and live. "I am, my Lord." He answered.

His leader's resulting cackle echoed through the empty caverns, jolting Alex in surprise. "You have already lost he-who-hath-fallen. What makes you think you will not follow his fate when the Charmed Ones come after their lost sister?" He demanded.

"He was worthless. That is why he lost." Alex hissed. He took a moment to calm himself before offering his lord a confident smirk. "I failed in getting enough information to destroy them…" He admitted. The other warlock suddenly formed a fireball in his hand at the confession. Alex held his hand up calmly and his leader waited for the rest of his explanation. "… But she…" He pointed back at Piper. "… does know. She knows everything about them. What I did learn is that they share everything with each other. We just have to get it from her." Alex finished.

"And how are you planning on getting it?" He asked sharply.

"Call Alrindor." Alex suggested simply.

The warlock narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but did extinguish the fireball from his hand. "Alrindor? You want to search her memories?"

Alex nodded with a wry grin. "What better way to learn everything about them than to take the memories of one of the sisters. Piper, in particular, has a closer relationship to all of them. Prue would have been my first choice as she watched the younger ones grow up, but Piper has more insight on Prue. And we both agree Prue is the most dangerous." He answered pointedly.

The leading warlock grinned, apparently pleased with Alex's efforts. "I will bring Alrindor… you just make sure this happens smoothly. I don't like problems, no matter the size." He ordered. Without a second glance at Alex, he turned toward the entrance to the wider cavern. He paused just outside and glanced back over his shoulder. "You'll need to find more guards." He added. He continued his walk and shimmered out mid-step.

Alex waited until he was gone before forming an energy ball in his hand and tossing it into the cavern wall. Those demons had been his best. Alex waved his hand and several

demons appeared in front of him followed by a few of his warlock companions. "You three…" He pointed to the demons. "Guard the front." He ordered before turning to the three warlocks. "She's a Charmed One. When her sisters come, tell me. Until then watch her… don't let her escape." Alex growled. One of the warlocks laughed, his gaze fixed on the unconscious Piper. "No one touches the witch." He warned. His green eyes blazed a warning… a promise of death to anyone who disobeyed his command. He watched them take their positions before fading out to get ready for Alrindor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: To clear up any confusion during the next episode. It will have many elements of the next episode but it'll be set only a few days after this one instead of a whole week. Piper, instead of going to Hawaii, is in this situation.


	39. The Power Of Three  (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks very much, as always, for the reviews and whenever you have a spare moment, please click that little button at the bottom of the page and review for this chapter

The Power of Three

 

The Halliwell Manor

Two days had passed since the disappearance of Piper and the vanquish of the grimlocks. Chaos had erupted inside the Manor as the three remaining sisters tried desperately to keep up pretenses while attempting to track down the mediator before they killed each other. Prue paced through the house, grabbing her stuff that was thrown randomly around as she attempted to look decent for work. More make-up was applied than usual to cover the souvenirs obtained from the lack of sleep and stress. Paige was standing at the kitchen table with a scrying crystal in her hand. She lazily circled it around the map as she downed cup after cup of coffee and a bite of toast and cereal. In her other hand she  
called her own objects that would be needed for work. Prue and Paige were both cutting it close… not that they were ever on time, but now they needed to be, more so than ever before. Phoebe had forced herself into a meditative stance and tried to relax and focus. Every now and then she would reach out for an object in front of her and will a premonition in the hopes of finding a clue about Piper. It had only been two days but they all looked as if they hadn't slept in a week. The constant worry about their sister was taking a toll on Prue, Phoebe, and Paige that shocked many-a-people they ran across in their daily lives. The doorbell sounded eerily through the silent house, jolting the sisters from their  
respective tasks. Paige was the one that reacted first. She threw the crystal and one of Piper's good luck charms from Friday the thirteenth on the table and sent such a dangerous glare out the window that had it been Prue, it would have shattered the window into a million pieces. "Phoebe! Get rid of him! That was your job." Her voice carried clearly to the other side of the house where Phoebe was meditating. She clearly was under the impression that their visitor was none other than Josh, Piper's current boyfriend.

"I tried. He doesn't take the hint!" Phoebe yelled back, angry at having her meditation interrupted. She felt as if she'd been close to something.

Before Paige could retort, Prue joined her in the kitchen. "Anything?" She asked, a hopeful look in her blue eyes.

If Paige hadn't been in such an awful mood she would have felt sorry for her eldest sister. As it was, none of the sisters were really capable of feeling bad for another. "No. This is pointless." Paige snapped. She irritably grabbed her empty cups and bowl and dropped them unceremoniously in the sink. "We're never going to find her by scrying." Paige added, glaring ever more as the doorbell was continually pushed.

Prue sighed but otherwise didn't respond. She looked too busy restraining herself from so much as twitching her finger. She felt that if she did, she might just blow the house up.

"Fine." She offered shortly.

"I'm going to work." Paige decided and without waiting for a response orbed out.

Prue dropped down on the edge of the table in exhaustion but wasn't allowed to remain there for long as the doorbell once again sounded. "Phoebe…" She hissed under her breath. Prue gave no acknowledgement to her younger sister as she passed by the meditating Phoebe on her way to the front door. She pulled the door open and had to work really hard not to groan at the sight of Josh. "Hey." She mumbled in greeting.

"Look, I'm going to cut right to the chase here. I need Piper to answer my question now." Josh ordered with an edge to his voice that had become way too familiar around the Manor.

"I'm sure Phoebe told you that Piper isn't in any position to be making that decision at this current moment." Prue replied, her voice almost robotic… emotionless.

Josh rolled his eyes. "My job is at stake here." He stated simply. He made to push past Prue and move into the Manor but Prue immediately blocked his way. His resulting glare was enough to make Prue pause.

She hesitated a moment before doing the only thing she could think of. She slammed the door in his face and locked it before heading back towards Phoebe. As Prue approached, Phoebe's eyes widened suddenly and a grin spread across her face. "I did it!" She exclaimed, jumping off the table and facing Prue. Prue raised her eyebrows in a silent question for elaboration. "I called a premonition on command!"

"Did you see anything about Piper?" Prue demanded, suddenly eager and another flash of hope lit up her gaze.

"No. That was the good news… the bad news is I saw you getting chewed out by Piper's boss." The younger Halliwell admitted almost hesitantly.

Prue ran a hand through her hair with another sigh. "Okay. Keep trying then." She appeared thoughtful for a moment before heading back to the kitchen and grabbing her stuff for work. Phoebe followed behind her. "I better go. I still have to stop by the restaurant before I go to Bucklands and my job is hanging by a thread as it is." She explained.

"Since when?" Phoebe wondered in surprise.

"Oh since all the demon-hunting time off I've been taking lately." Prue answered with a shrug. Without another word, she approached the back door as she was not in the mood to deal with Josh anymore.

Phoebe gave her sister a look of sympathy as she watched her go and was left alone in the Halliwell Manor.

~PO4~

The Underworld Cavern

An unconscious Piper was laid out along the floor of the Cavern with Alex kneeling next to her and another demon standing to the side. The newest arrival was dark-skinned with an eerie reddish glow. His eyes were pupil-less, as if blind but any watching his reactions would immediately be aware that this was not the case. The demon, Alrindor, waited impatiently for Alex to hurry up. It was obvious he loathed having to follow orders from the lower-level warlock.

"Ready." Alex announced simply.

A wicked grin spread across Alrindor's features. "The process is slow. The oldest memories first must be copied." He reminded the warlock.

Alex narrowed his eyes at Alrindor. "Just get started." He ordered.

"Patefacio mens mentis ostendo quisnam occultus. Patefacio mens mentis ostendo quisnam occultus." Alrindor began chanting. He held one hand over Piper while the other was pointed at Alex. As he chanted a bright white wave of energy swept from his hands, hitting Piper and Alex. Piper did not respond whereas Alex was hit by such energy that he was forced to the ground. Memories flashed through his mind. Just flashes. Patty, Grams, Little Prue playing with a boy about the same age. The younger memories were hazy and not much use but you had to get past them before the more recent and helpful ones. He closed his eyes, searching for anything in them that could be remotely helpful. Sometimes the  
little things were what mattered.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Come on. Give me a premonition." Phoebe whispered repeatedly as she paced back and forth through the conservatory. She closed her eyes and her hands tightened on Piper's favorite shirt. Nothing happened and she absently reached out to touch anything within reach in the hopes of triggering one. Phoebe sighed loudly in frustration and tossed Piper's shirt onto the nearest chair. "This is ridiculous." She exclaimed. Phoebe fell silent as she tried to come up with another plan to try and find Piper. Her thoughts were interrupted by the incessant ringing of the phone. Her hand snapped out and grabbed it. "Hello?" Phoebe demanded. "…Oh, hey, Marianne." She answered, her voice lightening considerably as  
she recognized her friend's voice on the other end. "…Geez, I completely forgot about Alcatraz. I can't go…" Phoebe trailed off with a look at the room that now had Piper's objects scattered around it. She hesitated when Marianne began spouting off insistence. It was obvious she was getting nowhere with trying to force a premonition. Maybe a break wouldn't be so bad. "You know… I'll be right over." She decided before hanging up and reaching for the nearest jacket which so happened to be one of Piper's.

~PO4~

Alcatraz

"You don't seriously plan on spending the rest of eternity around here do you?" The soul collector taunted. She flicked a piece of her fiery red hair away from her face as she smirked at the ghost in front of her.

The ghost didn't respond or turn his head in acknowledgement for a long moment. "I'll find a way off this rock on my own, don't worry." He finally offered, pacing the long prison hallway.

The soul collector laughed mirthlessly. "Who are you kidding, Jackson? You've been stuck here since they executed you. Thirty six long years trapped between life and death."

"Big deal." Jackson snapped. He suddenly kicked out against an empty soda can and it crashed into the wall on the opposite side of the jail. "I've learned how to do things in that time…" Jackson started toward her and stepped through the bars into the cell that he often occupied. "… break the physical plane. Prepare for my revenge." He retorted.

"Revenge. How mortal." She scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

"Go to hell." Jackson cursed, striking at the soda can a second time with his foot.

The soul collector shrugged nonchalantly. "That's what I do. Only never alone. I ferry souls there. Everyone I can get my little hands on so to speak." She explained.

Jackson cast her a dangerous glare. "Yeah, well, you're not going to get your little hands on this one, lady, so just forget it." He warned.

"Don't worry, Jackson. I don't want your soul. I want a witch's. They're prize catches. Trophies." She soothed with a hint of sarcasm in her tone.

Jackson suddenly appeared intrigued. "What does that got to do with me?" He questioned.

"If you let me get you off the island, get your revenge, witches will try to stop you and the only way to do that is to become vulnerable to me…" The soul collector replied eagerly.

"…then I'll have them right where I want them…" She trailed off at the sound of the gate opening as another tour group arrived. "…speaking of witches…"

The tour group stopped in front of the cell that Jackson and the soul collector were waiting. Phoebe was among the group, but she had her eyes trained on the information sheet as the tour guide began his speech. "Twenty-eight inmates died here. Nine by attempting to escape, four by execution. Legend has it that one of them still haunts the prison to this very day. The ghost of Alcatraz, believed to reside in this very cell." The tour guide began, waving pointedly behind him at the cell they were standing in front of. Several of the spectators laughed at the prospect but the tour guide continued undeterred. "Let's see if he's in, shall we?" The tour guide took the moment to open the cell door and close  
himself inside. "Now, if you listen closely, you can actually hear the ghost cries." He went on, appearing enthusiastic as a gust of wind blew through the abandoned prison so that an eerie moan sounded around them. "There. Hear him?"

Jackson had come up right next to the tour guide and rolled his eyes in disbelief as he was obviously not making any cries to be heard. "What an idiot." He hissed, turning away in boredom.

Phoebe's head snapped up in surprise and her eyes widened as she saw the ghost and the soul collector. The soul collector was able to react first. "Look at him as your 'get out of jail free' card." She suggested, clenching her fist at the guide. The tour guide suddenly dropped to the ground mid-sentence.

Phoebe reacted immediately. "Marianne, call 911." She ordered, running up to the bars. "What did you do? Who are you?" She demanded to the two ghostly people.

"You can see me?" Jackson asked in surprise.

The soul collector rolled her eyes dramatically. "Forget her for now. There's your ride off the island. Hop in." She prompted with a pointed look at the body.

"No, no!" Phoebe warned while the people around her had gone into hysterics over the mysterious fall of the tour guide. Jackson grinned tauntingly at her before possessing the body of the dead tour guide.

"Hope you enjoyed the tour. See ya'!" The soul collector laughed. She flamed out and Phoebe suddenly became aware of the people in her tour group staring at her. Phoebe hesitantly backed away and tried to appear 'normal' while they waited on the police.

~PO4~

The inspecting officers lifted the body bag that was now occupied by the tour guide up onto the gurney and rolled it toward the door. Phoebe was being questioned by one of the other officers about what had happened. When she was allowed to leave, Phoebe rejoined Marianne by the door and they walked out and left the scene behind.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue slammed the door of her car shut and dashed inside the building while attempting to keep a hold of all her papers. Her phone was pressed against her shoulder as she attempted to push open the door with her foot. "No, Monique, just stall for another minute. I'm walking in the door now...Ow!" She trailed off abruptly as she didn't quite make it past the threshold before the door slammed into her back. She silently cursed and continued with clenched teeth. "I just have to take the elevator up." There was no response from Monique and Prue sighed dramatically as she settled in the corner of the elevator for the long ride up. This week was awful and it had only just begun. The elevator dinged as  
the doors opened onto the twelfth floor. She was out in a matter of seconds and rushing down the hallway. Prue could just see Claire being held back by Monique, Prue's assistant, inside one of the offices. She narrowed her eyes at the door and it slammed shut while Prue hastened by and slipped into her own office. She threw everything unceremoniously on her desk and dropped into her seat just as Claire sauntered in.

"Prue, you're late." Claire stated, pointing at the clock on Prue's wall.

Prue's eyes followed her pointing hand. The clock read 7:45. She ran a hand through her hair nervously. She was thirty minutes late and she hadn't had a moment to think of an excuse. "Um…"

Claire didn't wait for one of her famous excuses. "In all honesty, Prue, if it weren't for you, I'm not sure the auction house would've been able to stave off bankruptcy." She admitted.

Prue appeared surprised at the praise. She had been sure she was about to get a lecture about her lateness. She smiled faintly, daring to hope that she wouldn't be yelled at

again. It was too early for this and she'd already had to listen to Piper's boss. "Thank you." Prue appreciated, sitting up just a little straighter.

"Oh, don't thank me yet." Claire warned, smirking faintly as Prue's hopeful smile faded. "Now, I have tolerated your unexplained absences and the endless family emergencies, but no more. Buyers interested in purchasing Bucklands will be visiting in the next two days and it's important that we make a big impression… It's important that you make a big impression if you expect to keep your job." She explained coldly. "Do I make myself clear?" Claire asked.

"Perfectly." Prue answered immediately.

Monique opened the door before anything else could be said and walked in with an apologetic glance in Prue's direction. "I'm sorry, Prue, but your sister's on the phone." Monique announced.

Claire glanced pointedly in Prue's direction, listening intently for her answer. Prue bit her lip slightly, aware of the attention. "Um, I will call her back." Prue decided with a hesitant smile.

"She says it's an emergency." Monique added to which Prue sighed but stood up to get the phone.

~PO4~

"Hey, have you ever heard of the ghost of Alcatraz?" Phoebe questioned into the phone as she absently searched the web for the supposed identity of the ghost.

Prue could have slammed her head into the table in frustration. "Are you kidding me? This is why you pulled me out of a meeting?" She demanded, her voice bordering on hysteria.

"No, Prue, you don't understand. I think the ghost really exists." Phoebe explained hastily.

"Did you see it?" Prue inquired, lowering her voice slightly.

Phoebe hesitated trying to decide whether to admit it or not. "I think so. I went with Marianne to Alcatraz… you remember Marianne?" She prompted, closing her eyes and awaiting the fireworks. There was silence on the other end. "Well, actually I think I saw two ghosts. I'm not really sure about one of them…" Phoebe rambled nervously.

"Look, Pheebs, I cannot leave right now." Prue finally replied. She started to say something else when she noticed Claire waiting impatiently at the door. "Um… I'm really sorry the furnace blew up, but you're just gonna have to handle it on your own." Prue fabricated.

Phoebe frowned, appearing irritated with Prue's reaction to her news. "Okay, but Prue, I thought we might be able to…"

"Call Paige and don't forget to do something about Josh." Prue hissed into the phone before hanging up abruptly. She forced a smile to Claire. "Just, uh…" She made an exploding motion with her hands. "…singed eyebrows…" Prue mumbled before heading back to her office as Claire probably wanted.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Andy was staring absently at the files on his desk when Darryl walked up behind him with the storage box for older files. "Did you take some of the old case files home with you by any chance, Andy?" He asked with underlying suspicion.

Andy offered Darryl a quick glance before turning his attention to the new files in front of him. "No, why?" He inquired.

"We're missing a couple…" He replied with a shrug. "… Hope the Captain's not reviewing them." Darryl added slyly. There was no response from Andy so Darryl continued. "You want to talk about it?" He prompted.

Andy raised his gaze for another moment. "Talk about what?"

"About why you've been walking around here like a zombie lately. Like ever since Prue followed you into that hotel." Darryl elaborated. Andy rolled his eyes at the insinuation.

Darryl had guessed that Andy hadn't told the entire truth, but he was still far from guessing what actually had occurred. "Come on, what's up?" Darryl pressed.

"I wish I could tell you, I really do. I just have to work things out on my own first." Andy finally replied.

"Okay, you guys are the experts on the freaky cases, figure this one out…" Inspector Blakely interrupted as she dropped a new file on the desk in front of the two cops. "…A victim was stabbed thirteen times in the chest. Circular pattern. CSI combed the scene and other than the knife, found no evidence. Except, check this out." She continued, passing Andy a picture.

Andy's gaze flickered over the photo of the knife with a fingerprint clearly visible on the pommel of the knife. "A solid thumbprint." He remarked, allowing Darryl to take the photo.

Inspector Blakely gave a slight nod as she took a seat next to Andy. "Yeah, but we didn't get it from dusting. We got it from fluoroscoping."

"Ultraviolet fingerprint. Never heard of that." Darryl admitted after a moment.

"We ran the print…" She started but paused with glance around her. "… This is where it gets freaky. It matches up to Jackson Ward, the serial killer that was executed in Alcatraz thirty-six years ago." Inspector Blakely finished passing another picture of Jackson Ward to Andy.

Andy hesitated, his gaze shifting over both the photos thoughtfully. "Are you sure about this?" He demanded, a little too interested.

Inspector Blakely shrugged. "Checked it twice." She offered.

"Dead guy's prints on a murder weapon? It's gotta be a mistake." Darryl decided though he cast Andy a suspicious glance at his interest.

Andy suddenly leaned forward and grabbed the picture. "Can I borrow this?" He asked Inspector Blakely. He didn't wait for an answer nor did he look at Darryl's reaction as he grabbed his jacket.

"Whoa, where are you going?" Inspector Blakely inquired, but received no answer as Andy left with the file.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Phoebe, Paige, I'm home." Prue announced, tossing her purse on the table next to the front door and heading for the kitchen. She found Phoebe at the kitchen table surfing the web on the laptop while Paige was attempting to cook something on the stovetop. Prue wasn't entirely sure what it was, but she refrained from asking as Paige didn't look like she was in the mood to handle criticism. Instead, Prue's gaze shifted over the dirty dishes in the sink and groaned. There was a tense silence, particularly between the two younger sisters. "Uh, guys, what's wrong?" Prue demanded when she received absolutely no response to her being home.

"Paige is mad that I went to Alcatraz while she had to go to work." Phoebe replied without looking up though she did roll her eyes dramatically.

Paige huffed and cast a glare over her shoulder at Phoebe. "I don't suppose you managed to find Piper in Alcatraz, did you?" She asked sarcastically.

Phoebe opened her mouth to retort, but Prue spoke up first. "Enough you two. This is not what we need right now." Prue snapped before turning her attention to the dirty dishes. With a wave of her hand the sink began to fill with water and with a blink of her eyes the dishes disappeared from one side of the sink and reappeared in the water-filled side. "Did anyone have time to go to the market?" She asked neutrally.

"Phoebe did." Paige mumbled.

"Paige." Prue warned, her hand moving up to rub her temple where a major migraine was becoming ever more painful.

Phoebe sent a smug look at Paige. "There's not enough money in our household account and I believe this ghost thing could be dangerous." She remarked in such a way that she was daring Paige to argue with her.

Prue, once again, broke into the argument before it could actually get started. "I'll have some transferred in tomorrow morning." She decided.

"I have to go pick up the dry cleaning so I'll stop by the store while I'm out." Paige offered, now completely ignoring Phoebe.

"No, I will do that." Phoebe argued.

Prue rolled her eyes and tuned out the rest of their argument. She was relieved when the doorbell rang and she immediately ran to answer it. She smiled faintly when she saw

Andy at the door. "Andy, hi." Prue greeted, leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Hi." Andy returned. He frowned thoughtfully at the sound of an argument going on behind Prue. "Trouble?" He inquired sympathetically.

Prue shrugged and stepped out, closing the door behind her so as to block the yelling. "They're arguing over who's going to the store tomorrow… They both claim to want to." She explained.

"Ahh…" Andy laughed.

They fell silent for a moment and Prue finally started to speak again but stopped as her gaze caught sight of the car pulling into their driveway. She cursed and Andy turned curiously around to see what had upset her. His question was answered when Josh stepped out of the car and stomped toward them. Andy stepped up between Josh and Prue as he noticed Prue's eyes flash dangerously and her hand twitch ever so slightly. Andy's abrupt movement seemed more of a warning to Josh but in reality probably saved Josh from getting thrown across the yard. As it was, Andy shifted his jacket slightly so that Josh couldn't miss the gun and his police mark.

Josh hesitated and stopped farther away than he normally did while eyeing Andy suspiciously. "Piper." He wished for with a glance at Prue.

Andy exchanged a glance with Prue before he took a step toward Josh. "Piper's friend from school was recently admitted to the hospital in Portland and she left earlier today for Portland when her friend took a turn for the worst." Andy fabricated, feigning a look of sympathy behind him at Prue.

Another tense silence fell in which Josh didn't appear entirely convinced but didn't want to seem callous in case it was true. "Just have her call me then." He finally suggested. He waited another moment, reluctant to leave without getting an answer (again) but eventually turned and stalked away.

Prue nodded silently and watched as Josh walked back to his car. "Thanks." She appreciated softly as soon as Josh was out of earshot.

"No problem. You look like you've had enough." Andy commented. He didn't have to feign the sympathy this time. Prue didn't reply other than a slight shrug of her shoulders. "Haven't found anything?" He asked as much as stated.

"No." Prue admitted. Her gaze shifted down to the folder in his hand. "What's that?" She questioned, eager for a change in subject.

"Actually, a case. A kind of case where, frankly, before I would probably be looking for a more logical explanation." He explained hesitantly. "But if you're really busy…"

Prue shook her head and took the file from him before he could leave. "We're good at multi-tasking." She joked, holding the door back so Andy could follow her in. She was relieved to hear the argument between Phoebe and Paige had ceased. Prue slipped out of her jacket, hung it up next to the door, and led the way into kitchen. "What's the case?" She asked curiously as she opened the file.

Phoebe and Paige both greeted Andy and then fell silent at the mention of a case. "The son of a former D.A. was brutally murdered. The only quote-unquote evidence points to the last man executed on Alcatraz before it was closed down." Andy briefed.

"Jackson Ward." Phoebe guessed suddenly.

Prue, Paige, and Andy all turned curious glances at Phoebe as she stood up from her seat behind the laptop. "How did you know that?" Andy inquired.

"Yeah, how did you know that?" Prue followed.

"I told you, I was trying to figure out who the ghost of Alcatraz was, remember? Jackson Ward's name was at the top of the list." Phoebe answered.

"Ghost?" Andy repeated, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully and more than a little in surprise.

Paige left the stove and walked up next to Prue. "Wait… the ghost of Alcatraz that you saw this morning is the same ghost that we're talking about now?" She received a slight nod from Phoebe. "Okay, then, just purely out of curiosity, how did everyone react when you started yelling at this Jackson guy?" She wondered eagerly.

A faint blush fell across Phoebe's face. "They looked at me like I was insane." She admitted.

Prue groaned softly. "Oh great, we just needed to be labeled as insane." Prue lamented in which Paige had to stifle her laughter and even Andy smiled faintly despite all the supernatural talk.

Paige was the first to turn her attention back to the folder in Prue's hands. "What is that?" She asked, pointing at the photo of the knife and fingerprint.

"Ultraviolet fingerprint. Although, technically, there's no such thing." Andy answered.

"Could be the ghost's ectoplasm. It's outside the visual spectrum." Phoebe suggested thoughtfully. "Book of Shadows." She hissed under her breath to her two sisters.

Andy nodded slightly to himself. "Ectoplasm…" He repeated uncertainly.

"The ghost's skin." Paige offered helpfully though it only resulted in Andy looking more hesitant to further the conversation.

Prue flipped through the pictures until she found the picture of Jackson Ward. "Is this him?" She inquired of Andy and upon receiving a nod of confirmation, she turned to Phoebe with the photo. "Familiar?"

Phoebe took the photo carefully and scanned over it. "Yep, that's him." Phoebe announced before turning to Andy. "And what about this former D.A.'s son. Did Ward know him?" She questioned.

"Ward knew his father. He was the prosecutor who convicted him." Andy explained, slowly turning away from the sisters as they began to put pieces together.

"Coincidence? I think not." Phoebe decided eagerly as she turned to face Prue and Paige.

"Oh, I forgot about dinner!" Paige exclaimed suddenly, spinning around and running back to the stovetop where the pot was now boiling over.

Prue smirked before turning to face Andy. "Uh, Andy, are you okay?" She asked hesitantly.

Andy slowly turned around to face her. "I don't know. Just getting used to the idea of demons and witches. I don't know if I'm ready for ghosts too." He admitted.

"You ain't seen nothin' yet." Phoebe remarked, earning an elbow in the side from Prue.

Andy smiled at the sisterly exchanged, but otherwise didn't comment. "But if you're right, if it is the ghost of Jackson Ward who's the killer, how do I stop him from killing again?"

Prue and Phoebe exchanged a glance and a half-smile. Prue started to speak but was cut off by Paige. "Uh, guys, I think we're going to have to order take-out again…" Paige called.

Prue and Phoebe turned around to face Paige, who was staring down into the pot with narrowed eyes. There was silence, broken only when Andy chuckled and all three pairs of eyes swiveled back to him. "You three never could cook." He laughed even more at their identical expressions of indignation. He stepped around them to reach the pantry where he started pulling food out.

"What are you doing stealing our food?" Phoebe demanded. She crossed her arms for emphasis, but there was a hint of a tease in her voice.

"Piper would be upset if she came home and found her three sisters had starved to death without her." Andy replied lightly. The three sisters exchanged a glance and a shrug before stepping back and letting Andy save them from starvation or at least from the poison that Paige had concocted.

~PO4~

The Court House

Judge Renault sat behind his desk while flipping through some paperwork when Jackson Ward walked through the wall and approached the oblivious judge. Next to the door, Jackson Ward flipped the light switch and the room was bathed in darkness. Judge Renault found nothing strange with the situation and calmly reached over and turned on the desk light to continue his work.

"Judge Renault. Long time, no see. You could've shown me mercy giving me life in prison. But you wanted me put to death." Jackson Ward stated though Renault couldn't hear him. With an eager glint in his eyes, Ward picked up Renault's name plate and held it up so that, to Renault, it appeared to be floating in mid-air.

It took a moment for Renault to notice it as his attention was on the papers in front of him. When he did he pushed his chair away from his desk while his eyes widened in fear.

"What's goin' on?" Judge Renault demanded. "Who's there?"

Ward let the nameplate fall back onto the desk with a loud crack and Renault stumbled quickly away from his desk. He unwittingly walked right by Jackson Ward, who roughly grabbed Renault's tie in such a way that it began to strangle him. "Do you have any idea how long it takes to die in a gas chamber? How much you suffer, what a cruel and horrible death it is?" Jackson Ward challenged. Judge Renault struggled to relieve the pressure around his throat but to no avail. Ward snatched a letter opener off the desk and brought it around in front of Renault. Renault saw it just before the ghost stabbed him with it. Jackson let Renault's body fall to the ground just as the soul collector flamed in next  
to him.

"I helped you get your revenge. Now it's your turn to help me get a witch." She ordered him.

Jackson Ward laughed at her. "Are you kidding, lady? I'm just getting started." Taking up the letter opener again, Ward began driving it into Renault's lifeless body again and again.

~PO4~

Quake

Prue slipped through the already growing morning crowd in the search of Piper's boss. She nearly ran into him as she walked into the back. "Oh, I'm so sorry Mr…" She trailed off when she couldn't for the life of her remember his name. Her eyes frantically searched for his name badge. "… uh, Steven." She read and offered her best charming smile. She immediately regretted it when he took to staring at her. "Um, sir, Piper is, uh, still sick so if there's any paperwork or something I can give her to work on…?" Prue prompted hopefully.

Steven didn't respond for several moments during which Prue bit her lip and had to restrain herself from shuffling nervously. He finally replied after Prue turned her gaze to the customers filing inside. "Piper, right. You can take the floor." Steven decided. He took another one-over glance of her before going back to his office.

"Uh, no, Sir, I can't…" Prue stopped when it was obvious he couldn't hear her. "… work the floor." She finished under her breath. She groaned when she noticed several tables waiting for someone to take their order. One of them was angrily waving at her to come wait on them. Prue huffed and stalked forward, only taking the time to grab a notepad and a pen. "Welcome to Quake. How can I help you?" Prue asked professionally and with a forced smile.

Five minutes later, Prue was running back and forth with orders while trying to figure out where the store the new glassware. "Why would I know where to put glasses?" She exclaimed while the delivery men either smirked at her expense or backed away from her rising frustration. "You know what, never mind. Just drop them over there. I'll find something to do with them." She snapped.

"Are you sure, Miss? They're heavy." One of the braver men remarked.

Prue's eyes narrowed so dangerously that he just nodded and left to follow Prue's orders. She ran a hand through her hair and glanced at her watch. "Phoebe, where are you?" Prue whispered. 

As if on cue, Phoebe bolted through the door and stopped in front of Prue. "Thank god! I, for one, am never resorting to being a waitress. I will be homeless first."

Prue ranted while pushing some papers into Phoebe's surprised hands. "Do you realize how expensive it is to run a restaurant?" She demanded. Phoebe smiled innocently and just shook her head, figuring it was safer just to humor her eldest sister. "8,174 dollars…" Prue answered with an air of disbelief. "AND Piper doesn't even have an office!"

"Uh, Prue… people are staring." Phoebe pointed out casually.

"Oh! And another thing… why does Quake need this many glasses? And where in hell am I supposed to find enough room to store them?" Prue exclaimed.

Phoebe calmly reached around Prue and grabbed her purse off the bar. "Okay, I got it. You go show off to those investors." She suggested, pushing Prue toward the door.

"I hate restaurants! I'm never eating out again." Prue continued, stalking off across the parking lot without a backward glance.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and watched Prue disappear. "Five minutes here and she's already been scarred for life." She mumbled under her breath. She couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of Prue's claims. Phoebe grabbed the pen and notepad that Prue had been using and set to work.

~PO4~

The Court House

Andy kneeled down next to Darryl and the body of Judge Renault while other officers gathered evidence around them. "Thirteen stab wounds, circular pattern just like the other victim." Darryl related without a glance in Andy's direction.

"Matches Jackson's M.O. too." Andy agreed somberly.

"Must be a copycat killer." Darryl decided.

Andy smirked faintly. "How would he know? The M.O. was never released to the public." He pointed out before turning his attention to a passing inspector who held the letter opener. "Can I see that?" Andy asked.

"I've already dusted for prints and nothing." The inspector replied as he set it down on the table in front of him.

"Did you fluoroscope it?" Andy inquired.

The inspector's face fell in confusion and suspicion. "What?" He prompted. Andy reached past him and scanned the fluoroscope over the pommel of the letter opener, illuminating the fingerprints. "What the hell is that?" The other inspector exclaimed in awe.

Andy chuckled. "Don't ask." He passed it back and turned to Darryl, who had come up behind him while the letter opener was taken to search for the owner of the fingerprints left behind. "Ten bucks says it matches Ward's." He bet.

"Andy, don't go jumping off the deep end on me, okay. Jackson Ward is dead. Been that way for a long time now." Darryl responded as if talking to a child.

"Well, someone's going around killing people, or the descendents of people who put him away." Andy argued while grabbing his jacket and putting it on.

"Where are you going?" Darryl demanded.

Andy reluctantly turned back to face him. "Look, have someone put together a list of potential victims. Anybody who had anything to do with his conviction." He ordered.

"Andy, wait! Wait!" Darryl called after him, but received no response as his partner walked out.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Prue's office fell silent as the three clients had finished their introductions with Claire and Prue had yet to show up. Claire kept casting angry glances behind her at the door as if willing Prue to appear. "I'm sure Prue will be here shortly. She has a lot of… family emergencies." She explained, rubbing the temple of her head in a soothing manner.

The door to Prue's office suddenly burst open and a haggard-looking Prue ran in. "Claire, I'm so sorry…"

"Prue, let me introduce you." Claire interrupted, grabbing Prue by the arm and dragging her toward the clients. "This is Mr. Yakihama, head of Acquisitions. Mr. Yakihama, this is Prue Halliwell, one of our top specialists." She introduced without a moment to spare.

Prue shook hands politely. "Hi, nice to meet you, Sir." She greeted with a slightly forced smile.

"Nice to meet you too. I trust everything is all right with your family." Mr. Yakihama replied.

"Oh…" Prue mumbled, hastily pushing a lock of her hair away from her face while trying to come up with a decent response.

Prue's office door opened again and the group turned to find Monique. "Excuse me, Prue." Monique started.

"Not now, Monique." Prue replied through gritted teeth. Monique looked vaguely uncomfortable as Andy walked up behind her.

Claire stared pointedly at Andy. "May I help you?" She demanded.

Andy nodded and pulled out his police mark for Claire to see. "Yeah, I need to see Miss Halliwell. It's police business." He explained.

Everyone turned to look at Prue who forced a smile and an uncomfortable laugh. "Excuse me." Prue offered to the clients before walking out, not daring to look at Claire. She ran a hand through her hair and spun on Andy as soon as they were out of her office and Monique had closed the door behind them. "Are you trying to get me fired?" She exclaimed.

Andy stopped just in front of her. "I think Jackson Ward has killed again, Prue." Andy admitted, his voice lowered so as not to let anyone overhear.

"Great… just great." Prue muttered, her stress beginning to channel into anger. "Why don't you just wait here a second and I'll take care of everything." She snapped. Leaving

Andy, she threw her office door open harder than necessary and forced a pleasant tone in her voice. "Hi…" The door shut behind her.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Phoebe? Paige?" Prue's voice carried up the stairs to where the two youngest Halliwells were flipping through the Book of Shadows.

"Yeah, I'm in the attic." Phoebe called.

"Ditto!" Paige added without looking up from the book.

Prue walked in several moments later with Andy following behind her. He stopped just inside the door and glanced around in awe. "I always wondered what was up here." He remarked casually.

Phoebe and Paige's heads snapped up in surprise. "Prue, the Book of Sha-ba-da-dows." Phoebe hissed while Paige practically tackled the pedestal to cover the book up with her arms.

"No, no, no, it's okay. I already told him about it. Look, Jackson Ward has killed again. We have to figure out a way to stop him. Have you guys found anything?" Prue asked hopefully.

Paige pulled away from the book and glanced back down at the notepad that she had been writing relevant information down on. "Um, no…" she admitted unhelpfully.

Phoebe rolled her eyes and took it upon herself to elaborate. "It's just that there are so many references. Ghosts, poltergeists, evil spirits, phantasms. We're not dealing with a typical demon here."

"Yeah, well, there's got to be something in here about vanquishing an evil spirit." Prue stated, walking around to stand next to her sisters so she could look at the book. Andy quit his inspection of the attic and moved around behind the sisters so he could look over their shoulders.

"Well, actually there is one spell…" Phoebe started.

"…But we're not going to want to use it." Paige finished hastily.

Prue frowned in confusion. "Why not?" She questioned curiously.

Phoebe and Paige exchanged a knowing glance. "The problem is an evil spirit can't be vanquished on the Physical Plane. Only the Astral Plane… his plane."

"Okay, so then how do we say the spell?" Prue wondered aloud.

"Our spirits would have to say it." Phoebe answered in which Prue remained confused.

"One of us would have to die for it to work." Paige clarified.

Prue was silent for several moments. "Perfect." She muttered sarcastically.

"Oh, it gets worse." Paige added, turning her attention to the notepad in her hand. "We think the other being Phoebe saw was a Soul Collector. If one of us was to die to say the spell the Soul Collector could capture our soul and take it to Hell…"

"Keep looking." Prue ordered lightly. Phoebe and Paige nodded eagerly.

The three sisters turned around to find Andy staring at the book and seeming overwhelmed by what he was reading of. He glanced up and noticed they were watching him with a hint of worry and concern. "I've always believed there was another world behind or beyond this one. I even sort of believe in demons, but I never in my wildest dreams… I could never have imagined that this existed." Andy explained to which the sisters exchanged understanding glances.

"Yeah, neither did we. But we've come to believe that there's a reason for why that world was opened up to us. Which means there's probably a very good reason why it was opened up to you too." Prue soothed with a half-smile.  
"  
Welcome, to our little shop of horrors." Phoebe quipped, earning soft laughter and a hesitant smile from Andy.

The pages of the Book of Shadows suddenly began flipping causing Andy to step back nervously. "Are you doing that?" Andy demanded with a glance at Prue.

"No, sometimes it just does that on its own…" Prue trailed off as the page stopped on the Truth Spell. She immediately blushed and fell silent.

Andy didn't notice at first as his gaze was drawn to the page. "The Truth Spell?" He read.

"Oh…" Paige mumbled, casting Prue a sympathetic glance.

"That's weird that it would open up to that page with Andy standing right there." Phoebe remarked, poking Prue pointedly in the side.

Prue swiped Phoebe's hands away and Andy turned his attention to the now very edgy Prue. "There has to be a mistake, Phoebe." She snapped, turning the pages away. As soon as she took her hands off, the pages began to flip again, this time past the Truth Spell and stopped on the page labeled Expeller in fancy calligraphy.

This time Paige was the one to react by paling visibly. She reached past everyone and slammed the book closed. Phoebe appeared nearly as confused as Andy while Prue's eyes lit with sudden realization. "Wait, what was that?" Phoebe demanded eagerly, sensing that something was going on.

"You know what? I forgot to finish that thing…" Paige announced suddenly, backing away a few steps.

"What thing?" Prue asked in disbelief.

"You know… at work…" Paige fabricated as she grabbed Phoebe and pulled her along.

Prue crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes dangerously. "You don't have anything." She accused.

"We'll be back soon." Paige replied, thrusting the Book of Shadows into Prue's arms and then orbing out with Phoebe before Prue could do anything.

Prue slammed the book down on the pedestal in front of Andy. "Traitors." She hissed under her breath. In response, the book opened back to the Expeller page. Andy didn't comment but rather turned his attention back to the open page curiously.

~PO4~

"You did what last year?" Andy demanded. His voice was raised as he finally had gotten some cryptic answer from Prue about the Truth Spell. He stomped down the stairs, unsure of whether he wanted more of an answer from her.

Prue sighed loudly as she followed after him. "Look, I just wanted to see how you would react to finding out I was a witch." She explained, desperately trying to keep calm.

"Besides, I already told you that you'd found out before and forgotten."

Andy hesitated and looked over his shoulder at her. "Why didn't you just ask?" He returned.

"Oh, because I was afraid you'd freak out on me. Which is exactly what you did by the way, you just don't remember." Prue snapped. "Part of the spell." She added for his benefit.

Andy rounded on her as he realized another piece of the story. "Wait a minute. My reaction to your being a witch isn't the reason we stopped seeing each other, is it?" He questioned coldly.

Prue crossed her arms defiantly. "You're the one who wanted to stop seeing me first." She accused.

"Because you wouldn't tell me what your secret was!" He argued.

"Yeah, which turned out to be a good thing considering how you reacted." Prue retorted.

"Freaked out?" Andy repeated harshly.

Prue nodded sharply. "Exactly, kinda like what you're doing right now."

"You haven't answered my question. Did that have anything to do with why we stopped seeing each other?" He inquired a second time.

"Sorta." Prue replied, suddenly more hesitant. She bit her lip when Andy narrowed his eyes. "Okay, yeah, it did." She admitted.

Andy nodded as if he expected that answer. "And just out of curiosity, how much time did you give me to react anyway?" He questioned.

"Why? What difference does it make?" Prue returned.

"How much time?" Andy insisted, enunciating each word sharply.

"A minute." Prue answered off-handedly before she made eye contact and noticed how angry he actually was. "… Or two…" She amended.

"A minute?" Andy repeated in disbelief.

"… Or two… It was a twenty-four hour spell, all right, I was against the clock." She defended herself.

"And that's what you based your entire decision about us on? Prue, I've had over a week to react this time. I still don't know how I feel. You should've given me more time. I think I deserve that, I think we deserved that!" Andy vented. A tense silence fell between the two during which Prue avoided eye contact with Andy and he attempted to calm his frustration with his ex-girlfriend. "What's an Expeller?" He finally broke the silence. His voice was softer than it had been and Prue raised her eyes to meet his gaze.

Prue looked surprised at his question though she really should have expected it. "Um, I don't really know anything more than you do. I read that page once." She replied, perhaps a little too quickly to be completely true.

Andy narrowed his eyes calculatingly, but didn't press the point as she didn't really seem to be lying. Maybe not saying everything… He didn't have long to consider it as Paige and Phoebe orbed in behind him. "Hey, you guys, since we don't know how to vanquish the ghost we have to try to stop him from killing his next victim…" Phoebe began with a nervous glance between Andy and Prue. "Um, are we interrupting something?" She asked.

"I told you we should have waited longer." Paige hissed under her breath.

Andy glanced at them a little annoyed and he was silently glad he had been an only child. At least he had been able to leave the Halliwell sisters behind when they annoyed him.

"No, we're through." He answered. "What do you mean stopping him from killing his next victim? How do we do that?"

"We have powers too you know." Phoebe pointed out with a hint of indignation in her voice. Andy rolled his eyes as if he should have expected such an answer from them.

"But we're gonna need your help." Paige added. She glanced at Prue as if seeing if that was okay with her. Prue stayed silent. At least she didn't object.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Andy casually threw open the door to the evidence storage warehouse and stepped up to the desk. "Excuse me." He called for the officer on the other side of the desk. The officer turned around to face him with a questioning look on his face. "Inspector Andrew Trudeau." Andy flashed his police mark before continuing. "I need the murder weapon for case R13658." He explained.

The officer passed a clipboard across the desk to Andy. "Sign that. I'll go get it." He turned away again and searched through the folders in an adjoining room before coming back out with the correct one.

"Thanks." Andy appreciated. He made a quick check inside the folder and left with a faint nod back at the officer.

The door closed behind Andy and the officer grabbed the nearby phone. He dialed a number and waited several moments for someone to pick up. "Yeah, you told me to call if Trudeau showed… yeah, he just left…" He spoke into the phone with a short glance at the security camera.

~PO4~

"Did you get that list of potential victims yet?" Andy asked, coming up to stand next to Darryl.

Darryl cast a look over his shoulder at Andy. "Still working on it. It's a lot of names. Especially when you add in the descendants." He answered, pointing down at the file in front of him. "Where you been?" Darryl inquired.

Andy shrugged and picked up the papers. "You don't want to know." He stated simply.

Darryl reached out and stopped Andy from turning away. "Really? Try me."

"Maybe later, okay. Look, I gotta go. I'll take what you have so far and check back with you later." Andy replied. He pulled his arm out of Darryl's grasp and started for the door.

Darryl narrowed his eyes and strategically stepped in Andy's way. "We're partners, Andy. That means we work together." He reminded him shortly.

"I know, but this is an exception." Andy returned. Andy lightly clapped Darryl on the shoulder before finally succeeding in escaping out the door.

No sooner had the door closed than Darryl returned to his desk only to find Inspector Rodriguez approaching him with his partner. "Inspector Morris. Inspector Rodriguez and Anderson, internal affairs." He introduced them. "We need to talk to you about your partner."

~PO4~

Andy slipped into the passenger's seat of Prue's car and flipped open the file. "Okay, I got it. That's what Ward used to kill the judge." He explained. Andy handed the letter opener to Phoebe in the backseat. "How exactly is this going to work again?" He asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

"Well, I've been practicing calling my power, and if the psychic energy is strong enough on this, I should be able to see a future event." Phoebe explained.

"Hopefully, Jackson Ward's next victim." Prue added.

"If we're lucky." Paige finished.

Phoebe nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, it doesn't always work." She agreed before shutting her eyes and concentrating on the letter opener in her hand. She jerked lightly as a premonition was triggered.

An elderly woman screamed in terror as Jackson Ward advanced on her. Jackson pulled his arm back, ready to stab her with a long knife and the woman fell back to the ground.

The next thing Phoebe was aware of was Paige gently pulling the letter opener from her hand. Obviously she was worried the stunned Phoebe would accidently hurt herself with it.

"Oh my God…" Phoebe finally mumbled.

"Are you all right?" Prue demanded immediately.

"I, uh, I didn't just see it, Prue. I felt it. Her pain, her terror." Phoebe admitted.

There was a short silence, only broken by Andy shuffling through some of the papers that he eventually passed back. "Anyone of these look familiar?" Andy inquired gently.

Phoebe took a moment to flip through the pictures before passing one of them back.

"Iris Beiderman. The foreperson on the jury that convicted him." Andy read, casting a glance at Prue, who took the hint and started the car.

"Why don't I just orb there?" Paige questioned, appearing slightly put out.

"Andy's going to borrow my car to take her back here while you orb us home." Prue explained quickly. Paige mumbled something that sounded like a reluctant affirmation as she slouched back into the back seat.


	40. The Power Of Three (Part 2)

Iris Beiderman's Home

Iris Beiderman's eyes followed the knife that was poised in front of her, seemingly of its own accord. She let out an ear-piercing scream of terror and she fell back to the floor in her haste to scramble away from death. Jackson prepared to strike the elderly woman when Andy kicked the door open. The door slammed against the wall with a loud crash, temporarily distracting Jackson from his kill. Andy pointed his gun, his eyes scanning the room though he only saw Iris and a floating knife. Prue, Phoebe, and Paige pushed by Andy into the room. Phoebe kicked the knife from Jackson's hand with a well-placed karate kick while Prue and Paige dashed by the ghost and toward Iris. Jackson's eyes trained on Phoebe. 

"You again." He hissed with a look of scorn.

"Paige, orb her out." Prue ordered, keeping one eye on Jackson while she kneeled down next to the unconscious woman. Paige obeyed and the two disappeared in a swirl of lights, leaving Andy, Phoebe, and Prue in the room.

"Prue!" Phoebe screeched in warning as Jackson reached for the knife. Prue was easily the closest to him.

Andy's eyes scanned frantically over the room in response to Phoebe's warning. "Where is he? Is he still here?" Andy demanded.

Prue telekinetically pulled the knife to her hand just before Jackson could get a hold of it. Clutching the knife, she slipped by him and ran to the safety of Andy and Phoebe. "Yeah,he's right there." She pointed at Ward.

"Point him out, Prue." Andy replied, his eyes following her point, but still unable to see anything.

Jackson was ominously silent for a tense moment as his gaze flickered over Prue, Phoebe, and Andy. "You can't keep saving her forever…"

"Prue, what's going on?" Andy questioned gruffly in his frustration. He noticed the sisters had gone eerily silent.

"… Or the others. Or yourselves." Jackson warned with a sneer at them before he spun around and walked through the wall and disappeared.

"Prue?" Andy pressed nervously but still received little to no response.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Okay, you guys, we need to figure this ghost thing out and fast." Prue announced as she led the way into the house. She headed straight for the stairs to the attic where the Book of Shadows was waiting.

Paige paused just inside the Foyer. "Uh, Prue. Stop. Can we just take a step back and think?" She called to which Prue stopped on the stairs and glanced curiously back. Phoebe tilted her head to the side curiously at Paige. "Maybe we should find Piper first and then take care of the ghost." Paige suggested.

Prue glanced toward Phoebe for her reaction, but Phoebe's expression was carefully blank. "Paige, that ghost is planning on killing somebody right now… he could be preparing this very second. We can't wait or someone else will die." Prue stated. She turned around and started up the stairs again.

"Well, Piper could be dead or dying right now." Paige argued.

Prue froze mid-step. "She's not dead. I'd feel that." She countered, her voice colder than it was a moment before.

"Can you insure she isn't being hurt right now? Tortured or what not?" Paige demanded.

"No." Prue admitted after a pause. "No, I can't guarantee that." She allowed.

Paige nodded to herself. "So then why are we off chasing ghosts? We should be out looking for Piper." Paige insisted.

"Innocents are dying, Paige." Prue stressed in irritation.

"And our sister could be dying, Prue!" Paige retorted. "Are you really willing to bet her life like this?" She snapped.

"Don't you think I realize that she could be hurt or dying?" Prue screamed. "But I don't know what else to do right now. I can't do everything!"

Paige advanced quickly toward the stairs and Prue. "The only reason you're half as worried about those innocents is because Andy is investigating them. Well, guess what, that's his job and he's going to have to take it up sooner or later. You can't keep doing it for him." Paige snapped back.

Prue's eyes shot daggers at Paige. "This has nothing to do with Andy." She growled.

"Whether you want to believe it or not, it has everything to do with Andy. And I am astounded that you're choosing him over Piper." Paige challenged.

Phoebe quickly stepped up between Prue and Paige. "Whoa, okay, both of you shut up." Phoebe ordered over the raised voices. "Prue, drop it and go get the Book of Shadows. Paige, kitchen, now." She instructed. She gave both her sisters looks that clearly said she wasn't playing. Phoebe had to admit she was a little worried Prue would ignore her, but

Prue spun around and stalked up the steps. Paige copied the motion and sauntered into the kitchen. "What was that about?" She demanded of Paige as soon as they were safely in the other room.

Paige sighed loudly and shrugged. "Frustration that just came out." She offered almost guiltily. Paige froze suddenly and narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

"What?" Phoebe prompted, raising her eyebrows pointedly.

"I'll… be right back." Paige mumbled.

"No, Paige! I am not done with you!" Phoebe called. She reached out to try and grab Paige's arm, but her sister had already orbed safely out. Phoebe groaned loudly and dropped into one of the chairs to wait for Prue.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Andy kneeled down in front of the chair Iris Beiderman was resting in while placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We're gonna put you up in a hotel for a little while, Mrs. Beiderman, under police protection. At least until we catch whoever's trying to hurt you." He explained gently. "Okay?"

Mrs. Beiderman nodded faintly and slowly stood up from her chair. She started to turn away but turned back to Andy without taking a step away. "I'm not crazy, am I? You saw it too, didn't you?" She pressed, worry and shock evident in her tone.

"Yeah, I did." Andy admitted after a moment of hesitation. He suddenly smiled a little mischievously. "Let's just keep it our little secret for now, okay?" Andy suggested.

She gave another nod of agreement before joining the officer that would be taking her to her hotel. Andy watched her leave and walked back to his desk where he stared down at the file of potential victims.

Darryl joined him and sat down on the edge of Andy's desk. Andy hastily threw the classified police report on top of the potential victims list. "Who was that?" Darryl questioned coldly, pointing behind him to the door where Mrs. Beiderman had just disappeared.

"Someone who got attacked." Andy answered matter-of-factly.

"Attacked? By who? Why?" Darryl interrogated while pushing the report off the other papers. He harshly grabbed the paper with Iris Beiderman's information on it. "Iris Beiderman. Jury foreperson who helped convict Ward." He read. Andy rolled his eyes at Darryl's sarcasm but otherwise didn't respond. "Now how about that?" Darryl finished.

"Look, Morris." Andy started.

"Don't 'look Morris' me, man. You go flying out of here with that file, you come back with somebody in that file who just happened to have been attacked. Wanna tell me what's going on?" Darryl snapped.

Andy clenched his hands in frustration. "I told you, I can't. I'm sorry." He refused. Andy grabbed his jacket and headed for the door.

"Well, fine, whatever, it's your funeral." Darryl muttered just loud enough for Andy to overhear.

Andy spun back on him with narrowed eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Darryl hesitated trying to decide whether it was worth saying anything or not. "He told me not to say anything to you." He replied cryptically.

"Who did?" Andy asked.

"Internal affairs." Darryl answered shortly. "They got you in their cross hairs. Interviewed me for over two hours. Wouldn't tell me what it's about. Asked a lot of questions about you. Watch your back, Bro." With that Darryl turned away and left Andy to ponder what he had said.

Andy turned back to the door to find Paige heading straight toward him, a wary expression crossing her features. Internal Affairs… He suddenly realized. He knew what they wanted. It could only be one thing. Andy stalked forward, meeting Paige at the door where he pressed her back into the wall and out of sight of the night bustle of officers. "You shouldn't be here." He hissed softly.

Paige tilted her head in confusion and glanced around his shoulder at the room. "Is everything okay here, Andy?" She inquired curiously and purposely ignoring his statement.

Andy didn't respond at first. "Yeah, why?" He lied.

"Because I don't think it is… at least it's not going to be. You should leave now." Paige suggested.

Andy nodded quickly. "I am. Go back to Prue and Phoebe." He ordered.

Paige hesitated, clearly not believing him, but she also knew Prue and Phoebe would need her help. She reluctantly obeyed. Sensing no one but Andy was around, she orbed out and Andy was left again with his thoughts. Instead of heading for the door out, he went back to his desk. There was something he still needed to do.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"It's the same story. One of us would literally have to die in order to vanquish the evil spirit." Phoebe insisted, pointing down at the book. Paige sighed in frustration while Prue dropped her head onto her hand. The eldest and the youngest were on opposite sides of the table, clearly not come to terms with their earlier disagreement. "Any volunteers?"

Phoebe joked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"Actually maybe." Prue stated, her eyes flickering thoughtfully over the book. "But before that we need to figure out a way find Ward first. I mean, we can't count on you seeing his next victim even though Andy left us the letter opener to try."

Paige groaned softly. "I think we came across something about luring an evil spirit." She offered civilly, turning a questioning gaze to Phoebe.

Phoebe nodded and began flipping through the book until she found it. "To lure an evil spirit. Mix equal parts of Mercury and acid with the blood of one of the spirit's victims and pour it over his grave." Phoebe read. "That's disgusting." She tacked on the end with a face that highlighted her disgust.

"Why does everything we have to do be so… ick." Paige asked rhetorically with a shiver.

"Yeah, alright, we can get the blood from the letter opener but how are we gonna find Ward's grave?" Prue wondered aloud.

"You know what, I read on the web that his ashes were interred at his family mausoleum in Palo Alto." Phoebe announced helpfully.

Prue smiled faintly at the way everything was falling into place. "Okay, it just might work."

Paige bit her lip nervously. "What are we going to do if it does?" She questioned with only silence answering her.

~PO4~

The Cemetery

Prue led the way down the dark and abandoned hall with Phoebe and Paige a step behind. "Oh, I hate cemeteries at night." She groaned, looking around her with worried eyes.

"I hate cemeteries at day." Phoebe stated.

"I can't believe anyone would like cemeteries at all." Paige muttered, turning a teasing glance at Prue who sent an almost playful glare back at the youngest sister.

There was a screeching sound as the wind blew against one of the doors and hissed into the hallway. Prue jerked to a stop while Phoebe reached out and grabbed Prue's hand and

Paige jumped a foot in the air. "What was that?" Phoebe demanded warily.

"Uh, probably a zombie or a vampire." Prue quipped.

Phoebe rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Oh great, where's Buffy when you need her?" She followed with a nervous laugh.

"Can you guys imagine trying to get Piper to come in here?" Paige asked, smirking at the very thought.

Prue giggled and Phoebe snorted in silent agreement despite all three would have preferred having a complaining Piper with them over being without her. "Okay, perfect, there it is. Jackson Ward." Prue announced, motioning at the plaque next to a crypt. Do you have the picture?" Prue questioned. Paige dug through her purse for a moment before pulling it out and passing it to Prue. "Hey, Jackson, let's party?" She read in surprise as she stuck it on the plaque.

"Okay, well, I couldn't think of anything else to write." Phoebe complained, crossing her arms in defiance.

"Okay, can we just do this? It's creepy in here." Paige interrupted their scuffle before it could begin.

"Okay." Prue hissed. She threw the potion onto the plaque and it began to sizzle and melt. The wind picked up causing the screeching and rattling again. "Okay, okay, alright, let's go." Prue decided. She grabbed Paige's hand tightly while Phoebe took the other and Paige orbed them out.

~PO4~

Jackson Ward advanced quickly on an unsuspecting truck driver when he suddenly doubled over in agony. He pulled his hand away from his chest to find his skin seemed to be melting. "What's happening?" He yelled at the Soul Collector when she flamed in next to him.

She casually leaned back against the windshield of a large truck. "Witchcraft. Sucks, doesn't it? You should've helped me get them before when I asked." She answered.

"How do I get to them now?" Jackson Ward demanded through the excruciating pain.

The Soul Collector smirked in reply. "Visit your grave." She suggested before flaming out again. Jackson limped off in the corresponding direction, his eyes glowing with a dangerous light.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Andy placed his book down on his desk when the last officer left the room. Most of the lights were turned off as the majority of officers had gone home. Only those working the night shift were around, but they were few and usually congregated in the coffee room. Andy kneeled down and used a key to unlock his filing cabinet. He paused and glanced around him one last time to make sure no one was around. When he was positive, Andy pulled out the lone file that read 'Prudence Halliwell.' Her confidential file. He quickly grabbed the witchcraft papers from the bottom of the filing cabinet and slid them into her file before slipping the whole thing into his bag. He hurried down the hall while dialing  
the number to Prue's house on his cell phone.

"Hi, we're not home. You know the drill…" The answering machine beeped and Andy silently cursed.

"Prue, its Andy. I gotta give you something and you gotta get it outta here. I'll explain when I get there." Andy replied as a message. He took the stairs down and had just closed his phone when Inspector Rodriguez and Anderson blocked his path out.

"Inspector Trudeau? Internal Affairs. Let's talk." Inspector Rodriguez ordered more than suggested. Andy shrugged with feigned casual indifference and had no choice but to follow the two officers.

~PO4~

Andy took a seat across from Anderson and leaned back comfortably while Inspector Rodriguez paced around him while reading a file. "A series of women murdered with an occult knife, prime suspect… missing. Series of victims with curious holes burned in their foreheads, prime suspect missing…" Andy rolled his eyes and shifted slightly so he could keep one eye on the moving Rodriguez and one on Anderson across from him. "…Victims found in a locked room with every bone in their bodies broken. Victims literally scared to death. The list goes on and on. You know what they all have in common?" Rodriguez questioned.

Andy glanced at his watch and sighed in frustration. "We've been through this already." He remarked casually.

"They're all unsolved cases, Trudeau. And they're all yours and Morris'." Inspector Rodriguez answered, raising his voice against Andy's complaint.

"We've solved plenty of other cases." Andy argued.

Anderson reached back and pulled up the files in question. "But you haven't solved these." He pointed out.

"So the question is why?" Rodriguez followed while pushing Andy's bag to Anderson and taking a seat on the table in front of Andy. Andy's eyes flickered warily to his bag where the very information they wanted was located before forcing his attention back to Inspector Rodriguez. "What are you hiding?" He inquired.

Andy smirked faintly. "I'm not hiding anything." He insisted.

Rodriguez motioned to Anderson, who pulled a folder out and passed it across to Andy. Andy hesitated a moment before opening it and pulling out a picture of him taken earlier that night from a surveillance camera. He knew immediately it was the one from when he'd checked out the murder weapon for Prue and her sisters. Andy couldn't refrain a chuckle to hide his discomfort. "You guys spy on your wives too?" He joked.

"Why'd you check out the murder weapon, Inspector?" Rodriguez demanded.

"I was following a hunch." Andy replied.

"Really? Or were you following a ghost?" Rodriguez countered to which Andy clenched his fists in frustration under the table. "Words out, Trudeau. You specialize in the… what did Inspector Blakely call it?"

"The freaky cases." Anderson offered emotionlessly.

Inspector Rodriguez nodded and watched Andy closely for a reaction. "The freaky cases." He repeated. Andy smiled and nodded unperturbed. "You're a good cop. I've seen your jacket. Up until last year, you were headed for captain. Now you got all these weird unsolved cases." Rodriguez continued, determined to get more of a reaction from Andy. "What happened to you, man? What changed?" Andy still remained silent much to Rodriguez's growing irritation. "Are you covering for someone, is that it? Morris, maybe?" He pressed.

"Don't hang this on Morris." Andy warned.

"Then who do we hang it on?" Rodriguez questioned expectantly.

Andy carefully unclenched his fists and stood up where he leaned against the table. "Look, I told you my story, you don't believe me, you take my hardware right now and you charge me." Andy challenged, his voice radiating his agitation. When it became obvious the two officers didn't have any solid evidence to hold against him he continued. "Otherwise, drop dead." He snapped. He roughly grabbed his bag from Anderson and his jacket before storming out of the room. Inspector Anderson moved to stop him but Rodriguez made a motion to let him go.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Maybe it didn't work. Maybe he's not coming." Phoebe rambled as she paced back and forth through the kitchen.

Paige was sitting atop the counter with the Book of Shadows in her lap. She looked up for a moment at Phoebe's comment. "There's no reason why it shouldn't have worked." She argued, turning her attention back to the page she was reading.

Phoebe shrugged. "Well, he's not here yet. It's been five hours." She pointed out.

"Well, at least if he is coming, we are definitely ready for him." Prue offered. She held up the potion that she had been working on for her sisters to see.

Phoebe raised her eyebrows at it. "What exactly is that?" She asked, uncertain if she really wanted to know.

"A killer cocktail… literally. Little bit of Oleander, some jimsonweed, bloodwort, among other things. Stops the heart immediately." Prue explained casually.

Paige's mouth had dropped in disbelief. "That's morbid." Paige exclaimed.

Phoebe had a look that mirrored Paige's. "Uh, okay, you're scaring us. Where did you learn that?" She demanded.

Prue smiled slightly. "Book of Shadows." She answered with a nod in the direction of Paige and the book.

"Where? Under Dr. Kevorkian?" Phoebe quipped, earning a laugh from Prue.

"This is not funny." Paige snapped as she shut the Book of Shadows with a loud thud. "What the hell are we going to do once one of us is dead?"

Prue raised her hands in a sign of peace. "Relax. Whoever takes it can be revived with C.P.R. The only catch is it has to be done within four minutes to avoid brain damage." She assured.

"Okay, Prue, that's a pretty big catch." Phoebe commented.

"Yeah, well, it's the only way to say the spell. It's the only chance we have of sending Ward where he belongs." Prue countered gently.

"Wait, what about the Soul Collector? She could be hanging around." Paige retorted.

Prue hesitated and bit her lip nervously. "I'm hoping that the soul is safe within those four minutes and that she'll decide to take Ward's soul instead." She replied hopefully.

Phoebe exchanged a glance with Paige. "Okay, fine, but who's doing it? How do we decide that?" Phoebe asked.

"I'll do it." Prue offered immediately.

Phoebe shook her head quickly and Paige readily agreed with Phoebe. "No." Phoebe ran to the drawer where she cut a straw into uneven thirds. Prue sighed loudly but was ignored by both her younger sisters. Phoebe threw the straw pieces into a bag and came back. "Whoever draws the shortest straw does it. No powers." She decided.

All three sisters reached inside at the same time and pulled out their straw piece. "I win." Prue announced after the moment of comparing.

"You mean you lose." Phoebe corrected while toying with her straw piece.

"Oh well only if you guys don't revive me." Prue joked.

Paige groaned at the reminder. "Stop that. You're freaking me out and it's making me feel like Piper." She complained.

Prue and Phoebe chuckled at Paige's expense. "I have total confidence in you. Both of you." Prue insisted with a gentle smile at them.

"I'm scared, Prue. I mean, I'm really scared. I think we've gone too far this time." Phoebe admitted softly.

"We're doing what we have to do." Prue countered.

"I wish Piper were here." Phoebe whispered.

Paige smiled faintly and nodded in agreement. "She's the one that usually tells us if we're being stupid or not." She agreed.

Prue slowly slid down to lean against the counter beside Paige and took both her sisters' hands. "Look, when this is over, we're going to get Piper back. I promise. If we have to orb to wherever the demons live and vanquish all of them, we will."

Phoebe smirked. "Maybe we can send them Kevorkian cocktails." She quipped.

Prue, Paige, and Phoebe fell into a fit of giggles. Phoebe was the first to stop and give Paige a serious look. "I'm sorry I didn't help out more around here." She apologized, speaking of the night that she had gotten into the argument with Paige about having gone to Alcatraz.

"Don't worry about it, Pheebs. You were trying to find out who the ghost was and now we'll be able to stop him from hurting other people." Paige replied with a soothing smile at Phoebe.

"Yeah, but, I'm the one mad at myself for not working like you two do and I couldn't even find the time to go to the grocery store. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." Phoebe explained.

"We were all really stressed out, Pheebs. It's been hard to do anything." Prue assured in understanding.

"Well, if anyone should be apologizing, I should. I didn't mean what I said last night…" Paige apologized, putting on her best puppy eyes for Prue. "I know you're just trying to do what's best." Prue smiled gratefully and gave Paige a quick hug. Paige glanced at Phoebe who had averted her gaze guiltily. "Hey, if you'd like… I'm thinking about going back to college next year. You can come with. You might find something you like." Paige suggested.

Phoebe tilted her head in confusion. "Why are you going back to school?"

"I only have a two year degree. It was just enough to get my job, but I want to move up. Prue agreed and I'm sure she won't mind if you decide to start." Paige answered. She sent a curious glance at Prue.

Prue smiled in return. "Actually, I think it's a great idea." She announced enthusiastically.

Phoebe rolled her eyes good-naturedly. "Of course you do." She laughed.

"Only if you want to though. Don't feel pressured." Prue allowed.

Phoebe smiled gratefully. "I can't remember the last time we talked like this."

Paige started to reply but was cut off when their answering machine clicked on. "Prue, it's Claire, you're late, you're fired." The room fell silent following the message.

"Oh…" Prue mumbled, glancing at Phoebe and Paige. Behind them Jackson walked through the wall and smashed a vase. He threw his arm back ready to throw the broken piece of glass at the sisters. "Look out!" Prue screamed as he threw it at them.

Paige orbed out and it flew through her and Phoebe had to duck to avoid it. Prue waved her hand and telekinetically threw it into the wall where it shattered. "Okay, Prue, we got him. You just hurry." Phoebe ordered as Paige orbed back in next to her. Prue quickly ran back to the counter and began downing the cocktail as fast as she could.

Jackson Ward grabbed a heavy candle piece off the kitchen table and advanced on Phoebe. Phoebe deftly ducked the blows but was knocked unbalanced and she hit the ground. Paige ran up behind Jackson and grabbed his arm to stop him from hitting Phoebe while she was down. He backhanded her and she hit the table and fell unconscious.

"Paige!" Phoebe screamed, scrambling to her feet, but Jackson was already upon her. She threw her hand up to block the blow but was hit over the head and knocked unconscious beside Paige.

Behind them, Prue's eyes widened in fear before she dropped to the ground. Jackson Ward laughed manically as he approached Prue. "You're making this too easy, lady." He told her, grabbing a metal cake server. He paused when Prue's spirit floated up in front of him. "What the hell's going on?" Ward demanded.

Prue's spirit glanced back down at her body before she turned her attention to Ward.

"Ashes to ashes,  
Spirit to spirit,  
Take his soul,  
Banish this evil."

"No!" Jackson Ward yelled defiantly as he felt the spell take effect. The cake server clattered to the ground beside him.

~PO4~

Andy opened the front door curiously and looked inside. "Prue, you home?" He called. His eyes landed on the unconscious Phoebe that he could just see from the door. Hurriedly,

Andy closed the door behind him and pulled his gun out. He slowly made his way to the kitchen.

~PO4~

"Ashes to ashes,  
Spirit to spirit,  
Take his soul,  
Banish this evil."

Prue chanted while Jackson began to fade away despite his cries of protest.

"Prue?" Andy called, kneeling down next to Phoebe and feeling for a pulse. When he was sure she had one, he felt for Paige's and sighed in relief. He stepped over the strewn flowers and broken vase to get next to Prue. "Prue!" Andy yelled when he didn't feel her pulse. He leaned down and began using C.P.R. "Come on…" He whispered.

Prue's spirit floated closer to her body. "Andy, don't! Not yet!" She pleaded though he couldn't hear her.

The spell began to wear off and Jackson picked the cake server back up. "It's even better. I get to kill a cop too." He taunted, advancing on the oblivious Andy.

"Andy, behind you!" Prue screamed. Andy turned around just in time to see the cake server heading toward him. He grabbed it and was able to toss it to the side where it slid along the floor. He took off after it, trying to locate where the threat was.

Prue's spirit floated farther away from her body again.

"Ashes to ashes,  
Spirit to spirit,  
Take his soul,  
Banish this evil."

Ward yelled in agony before disappearing completely. The soul collector flamed in at that moment and grabbed at his soul. "Who are you?" Prue demanded.

"I was hoping to take you or one of your sisters, but it looks like your soul is safe… for now." She explained before flaming out again.

Andy was back down beside her and continuing the C.P.R. Prue's spirit slowly floated back into her body and her eyes shot open to find Andy above her. She coughed lightly as she regained her breath. "Slow breaths." Andy advised in relief. He partially supported her as she rose up to try and get a look at her sisters.

"Am I alive?" Prue asked, a little confused.

Andy chuckled softly. "Yeah, you are, thank God." He wrapped his arms almost protectively around her.

Phoebe groaned as she recovered consciousness. "What happened? Is the ghost toast?" She wondered. She rubbed her aching jaw before turning to Paige and lightly shaking her awake.

~PO4~

Prue, Phoebe, Paige, and Andy were seated at the kitchen table. Phoebe and Paige held ice bags to the various areas of their heads where Jackson had hit them while Prue flicked her wrist every now and then for the broom to continue sweeping up the broken glass and flowers that were scattered on the floor. Andy warily watched the broom and the coffee pot as Prue used some power, telematerialization, to fill her cup with coffee.

"I still say we hunt them down and keep vanquishing their sorry asses until they give us Piper back." Phoebe insisted.

Paige rolled her eyes dramatically. "We can't just walk in there. It would be suicide." She argued.

"We don't know that for certain. There might only be a few demons." Phoebe countered.

"No, Paige is right. We need more information if we were going to infiltrate and there's no way for us to get it." Prue decided to which Phoebe huffed but let it go.

"Well, we've tried your telepathy, scrying, the book… the only thing I can think of is to interrogate a demon." Paige offered.

Phoebe appeared thoughtful and glanced at the book that Andy was flipping through. "We might be able to summon a lower level demon safely and see if it knows anything." She suggested.

Prue shrugged. "It's an option…"

Andy tuned out their conversation as he quickly realized this magic stuff should be left to them. As he began to read about Expellers, the pages of the Book of Shadows started flipping until it landed on a blank page. As he watched, writing flowed across the page in fancy calligraphy and he nearly threw the book away from him. He was about to shut the book when his eyes caught the title. To Call a Lost Witch. "Prue?" Andy called for her attention. He turned his back to the sisters to find they were arguing about something again.

"Prue!" He repeated eagerly.

"Hmmm…?" Prue mumbled, only half-listening to him.

"You could try this." He suggested, spinning the Book of Shadows around so that she could read the newly-filled page.

Paige leaned over the kitchen table to get a look at what Andy was talking about. "Whoa, where did that come from?" She asked. "I swear it wasn't there before."

"It just appeared." Andy replied with a shrug. "Think it might work?" He wondered.

"We're about to find out." Prue answered, standing up. "Okay, Phoebe, you and Paige go set everything up in the attic. Take the book with you. I'll get the yarrow, rosemary, and the cypress." She ordered and they all set off to their respective tasks. Phoebe and Paige disappeared up the stairs while Prue pulled out the herbs they needed. She hesitated going up the stairs and turned back to Andy, who appeared a little lost as to what to do. "You going to stay?" Prue questioned. She frowned when he didn't respond immediately and turned her gaze to the clock. "Of course, you probably have to get to work…?"

Andy followed her gaze to check the time. "No, this is more important." He finally replied. He didn't look completely sure but he followed Prue and was mildly reassured by the smile she offered him. Prue and Andy walked into the attic to find the Book of Shadows on the pedestal with their silver mortar and pestle on the small table.

"Prue, did you realize we have to cut ourselves for this spell?" Paige exclaimed in disbelief.

Prue smirked as Paige eyed the knife Phoebe had gotten from their witch supplies. "I thought we'd been through this Paige. It's just a little prick." She laughed. "Okay, a pinch of rosemary for remembrance, a sprig of cypress for longevity, a yarrow root for communication among relatives…" Prue read while dropping the ingredients into the silver mortar.

"Then we make the cut on our left hand so the blood 'flows from the heart.' That's so weird…" Phoebe continued.

"Piper had better be happy when we get her back. Okay, let's just do this." Paige muttered. She grabbed the knife off the table and quickly stuck her finger before she could think about it too much. Prue and Phoebe readily followed. Prue took the pestle and ground the ingredients as they chanted.

"Power of the witches rise,  
Course unseen across the skies,  
Come to me who call you near,  
Come to me and settle here."

The sisters each let a few drops of blood drip into the pestle.

"Blood to blood, I summon thee,  
Blood to blood, return to me."

~PO4~

The Underworld

A teenage Piper sprawled casually along the couch in what was obviously the Solarium of the Manor. Different pictures adorned the walls while certain objects that their grandmother used often such as sewing kits cluttered the tables. Piper shifted positions and pushed the bridge of her glasses back into position before glancing at the clock. 11:30… Normally she didn't stay up this late. There was no reason to. Paige was asleep, Phoebe had snuck out, Grams was upstairs doing secretive stuff and Prue had yet to get back from the night's party. Her brown eyes flickered tiredly back to the textbook in her lap.

"Piper… Piper!" Piper jumped at the sound of her name and her textbook clattered to the floor. She looked up and met Andy's blue eyes. She appeared surprised by his presence. He was supposed to be out with Prue. Even if they weren't dating at the moment, they always went to the parties with each other.

"Andy?" Teenage Piper asked.

The teenage Andy ruffled his hair nervously with his hands and made a motion for Piper to keep quiet. "Where's Grams?" He demanded in a hushed voice.

Piper shrugged but frowned at Andy's worried expression. "Upstairs, I suppose." She offered. "What's wrong?"

"Prue… She…" Andy started but trailed off quickly. "Look, I need you to make sure Grams doesn't see us." He pleaded.

Piper stared at him for a moment before looking around him as if she expected to see Prue. "Why? Are you dating again? I told Prue I don't want to sneak you guys up anymore…" Piper pointed out with an air of finality.

Andy groaned. "No, we're not dating…" He paused trying to decide how much to tell her. "Okay, fine. This guy got Prue alone and took it a little too far. She's… upset." Andy admitted.

"What? Did he hurt her? How far…." Piper stopped in horror as she suddenly realized the kind of situation that had occurred to Prue.

"We stopped him before…" Andy assured her hastily. "I just need to get her upstairs. She's not ready to tell Grams yet." He explained.

Piper nodded vigorously and started for the stairs. "Wait five minutes." Piper breathed over her shoulder as she took the stairs two at a time.

~PO4~

Piper carefully opened the door to her older sister's room and squeezed in before locking the door behind her. She found Prue sitting at her vanity, aimlessly running the brush through her long and perfectly straight hair. The window was still open from where Andy had slipped out only thirty minutes previous. It was now four o'clock in the morning and Piper had insisted that Andy try to get some sleep. She knew he'd be back over here at the crack of dawn. Piper strode forward hesitantly and took a seat next to Prue, who didn't react anymore than to glance in her direction.

"Prue?" Piper asked softly.

Prue paused mid-stroke. "Hmm…?"

Piper didn't immediately reply. "Are you okay?" She finally inquired. She knew it was a stupid question, but the silence was killing her.

"Yeah…" Prue whispered but the choked sob that followed was the real answer.

Piper saw the few tears fall down her sister's cheeks. It was weird. Prue never cried… at least not in front of them. But now what was left of her make-up was run from crying.

Piper scooted her chair closer to her big sister. "Prue?" She asked again.

"Hmm…?"

"You don't have to hide." Piper explained gently. She wasn't entirely surprised when Prue dropped her brush, but she could hardly believe it when Prue leaned against her and allowed her head to rest on her little sister's shoulder. Piper could feel Prue shaking slightly with silent sobs and she wrapped her arms around her elder sister, offering Prue the silent support she needed.

The scene faded to be replaced with the cavern walls of the underworld. Alex heaved himself up and glared around him for the reason he had been pulled out of the memories.

They were finally starting to get useful. It had been the first of the memories where Prue had shown a weakness in front of Piper and no doubt many would follow. His hand flew in front of his eyes as bright white lights lit up the room before the darkness once again took over. "What's the hold-up?" Alex snapped, his flaming green eyes finding Alrindor through the dark.

Alrindor smirked and his pupil-less eyes scanned over Alex quickly. "It seems you've lost the witch." He stated with little emotion. Alex's eyes flickered disbelieving around the room for Piper only to find that he and Alrindor were the only two beings present. "It's hard to transfer memories without the subject." Alrindor continued in a mocking tone.

Alex formed an energy ball in his right hand and threw it directly at Alrindor. The blue and white ball of energy slammed into the demon's chest and knocked him back several steps, but otherwise did nothing to faze him. "What happened?" Alex demanded.

"Disappeared." Alrindor answered with a casual shrug. He shifted into a challenging position, almost daring Alex to attack him again.

Alex cursed and prepared another energy ball. Before it even left his hand there was a high-pitched screech that sent him to his knees. He shook uncontrollably, his vision blurred, and he didn't see the energy ball that struck him from behind.

The cavern fell into a comfortable silence as Alrindor studied the scorch mark where Alex had been a moment before. He grabbed at a small glowing ball of white and it rested comfortably in his hand.

"What's your price?" Another voice carried from the shadows of the doorway.

Alrindor appeared unsurprised by the presence of another. "How much are you willing to give?" Alrindor countered.

Rodriguez, his eyes a blood red, stepped up to his fellow demon. "How about the soul of a being of light? A whitelighter." He offered.

Alrindor's eyes gleamed greedily. "Deal." He agreed. He flicked his wrist and the glowing ball hit Rodriguez. Rodriguez grinned as Piper Halliwell's memories flashed before his eyes. At least as far as Alrindor had been able to take. "Three weeks." Alrindor warned before leaving the cavern without a glance back behind him.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

The sisters and Andy watched as white orbs swirled in the middle of the attic. Phoebe and Paige screamed in delight and rushed forward as soon as Piper became corporeal. They tackled her with bear hugs, to which Piper struggled to keep her feet but readily returned. Piper honestly had very little knowledge of what was going on. Everything was fuzzy… the last thing she remembered was… Alex. He'd taken her somewhere. Her brown eyes flickered around her to take in her surroundings and was more than a little surprised to find Andy. But more than that… Prue. Piper spun around and shook Phoebe and Paige off of her in a gentle way. She smiled a little self-consciously when she met Prue's gaze. Waves of  
emotions hit her and pictures… a summary of what had been happening. So many she couldn't even tell what was what, but she knew what she needed to do. Piper ran forward and threw her arms around Prue. She felt Phoebe and Paige join the group hug and she'd have bet anything Andy was somehow dragged into it too. "So what did I miss?" Piper finally managed to ask.

Phoebe and Paige exchanged grins. "Oh, nothing much really." Paige offered.

Piper narrowed her eyes disbelievingly and turned to Prue and Andy. Andy just shrugged while Prue smiled faintly. "Only the usual." Prue answered. Tell ya' later. Long story.

Piper gave the faintest of nods and tilted her head to the side questioningly. What's with Andy?

Even longer story. Prue smirked and Piper grinned.

"Hey, Piper… Can you fix us something to eat?" Phoebe pleaded to which everyone but Piper laughed.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

Claire dropped a file into her filing cabinet and shut the drawer with a resounding thump. "I'm sorry, Prue, but I've made up my mind." She stated unsympathetically. She slowly turned to face her ex-employee with a serious expression.

"Claire, you cannot fire me. I love this job. I need this job." Prue pleaded desperately. Her grip tightened on the chair in front of her as she silently debated how far she was going to go to try and get her job back. She didn't want to have to resort to begging, but she really couldn't lose this job.

"I told you I wouldn't tolerate any more unexplained absences." Claire replied unwaveringly.

Prue opened her mouth to argue some more when Andy barged through the office door with Monique right behind him as if she had tried to keep him from entering. "Excuse me, Mrs. Price." He gave Prue a casual glance. "I'm sorry to interrupt…" He apologized before walking forward and shaking Claire's hand professionally. "… but I just wanted to stop by and say thank you."

Claire's penetrating gaze scanned over Andy in mild confusion. "Thank you, Inspector? For what?" She prompted.

Andy widened his eyes in false surprise. "Why, for letting us borrow Ms. Halliwell." He explained, waving a hand at Prue and going to stand next to her. Prue unsuccessfully tried to meet his gaze and figure out what he was playing at. "See, an Asian gang was smuggling exotic jewelry and antiques. She helped us set up a sting, bust their operation." Andy lied calmly.

"Really? Prue never mentioned any of this to me before." Claire commented with a glance at Prue.

Prue ran a hand through her hair and searched quickly for an excuse, but Andy interrupted her before she could say anything. "Well, she couldn't compromise her cover. You're welcome to call my superior, Inspector Morris, and file a reimbursement claim if you'd like." He offered.

"No, that won't be necessary." Claire replied.

Andy nodded and turned to Prue. "As soon as you're done here, we need to talk."

"Oh, I think I'm more than done here." Prue stated. She started for the door with Andy following.

"Oh, uh, Prue." Claire called, causing both Prue and Andy to pause at the door. "Don't forget about our lunch with the investors tomorrow. Wouldn't want you to be late." Claire reminded none-too-subtly.

Prue smiled in relief. "I won't be. Thanks." She gratified.

~PO4~

"I cannot believe you did that." Prue exclaimed as she led the way into her office. She laughed at the very thought and quickly shut the door behind them so no one could overhear.

Andy chuckled and shrugged. "It's the least I could do. After all, you did help us bust somebody… sure he was already dead, but still…"

"Well, thank you." Prue appreciated softly.

"You're welcome." Andy replied but then fell silent. Prue dropped her gaze and bounced slightly as the silence stretched for several moments. "Listen, Prue, um, I've done some thinking about the truth spell and, well, I'm still trying to sort my feelings out, but I've kinda come to the conclusion that no matter whether I had a minute, a month, or a year to think about it, it wouldn't change the truth…" He paused but continued when Prue didn't respond. "… I know it may sound boring, but I know someday I want to have a normal life to come home to. With a white picket fence, a two car garage, a screaming kid…" Prue smiled faintly, almost longingly at his description. "… but no demons. Maybe it's because of  
all the evil I deal with everyday on the job… I don't know…"

"You don't have to explain it, I understand." Prue interrupted with a genuine smile up at Andy. "Believe me, I wouldn't want to come home to it either if I could avoid it, but I can't. You still can." She assured him. Andy gave the faintest of nods before pulling her into a gentle hug.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Prue, Phoebe, and Paige, each carrying a bag of groceries, stumbled into the kitchen where they dropped everything on the table. "So did you burn Andy's file like he suggested?" Phoebe asked curiously.

"Yeah, you should have seen it. It turns out he knew a lot more about us than he was letting on." Prue answered.

"It still doesn't explain how he could hear a ghost." Phoebe mumbled.

Prue tilted her head to the side questioningly. "What do you mean?" She prompted.

"Well, when you were a spirit you said you yelled out to him and that's what made him turn around in time." Phoebe pointed out. "How could he hear you?" She repeated curiously.  
"  
I don't know." Prue admitted.

"It's true love." Paige announced suddenly.

Prue rolled her eyes at the conversation turn while Phoebe laughed. "It's always true love with you." Phoebe accused jokingly.

"I've got a twenty in my pocket." Paige stated with a challenging look at Phoebe. "I give him a month before he folds."

"You're on!" Phoebe bet and the two shook hands, settling the deal.

Piper strolled in with a glare at the two youngest Halliwell sisters. "You two ought to be ashamed. Go! Clean the Conservatory or something." She ordered, pointing for them to leave.

"Look what you did!" Phoebe exclaimed dramatically.

Paige glared back at her. "I didn't do anything. You started it." Piper coughed pointedly and Phoebe and Paige exchanged a nervous glance before spinning around and dashing out of the room, still laughing.

Prue giggled after they disappeared out the door and high-fived Piper. "Ooh, so glad you're back, Sis."

"I bet. Stuck with them two, running my job and yours, Andy, a ghost… I'm surprised you're not insane." Piper laughed.

"Don't forget Josh. He was about as bad as the rest together." Prue joked. She turned back to the grocery bags and started attempting to put them up, only to realize she didn't know where most of them went.

Piper rolled her eyes. "I got it." She decided, taking what Prue had in her hands and placing it in its proper spot. Prue held her hands up innocently and stepped back to let Piper re-take the kitchen that they had messed up over the past few days. "Oh my god, Prue! What did you guys try to cook in this?" Piper exclaimed, pointing frantically at the pot Paige had tried to cook with.

"Oh, look, my cell's ringing…" Prue lied. She offered a quick smile before strolling out of the kitchen.

"Prue!" Piper called, only to receive no response. Piper groaned and glared at her messed up kitchen. "Sisters…" She hissed under breath.


	41. Love Hurts (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said I was going to put up a couple fillers between these last two chapters but I decided to just go ahead and finish out the season

Love Hurts

 

Mini Mart

Daisy hastened across the busy street for the car that waited on the curb. The young woman glanced nervously over her shoulder and her hands clutched the bag of groceries that she held. She pulled out her keys and started to unlock the door when a car horn blared nearby. Daisy jumped in fear and her groceries dropped from her hands, spilling out onto the sidewalk. "Ow! Damn it!" She cursed as a piece of broken glass cut open the palm of her hand.

"It's all right, Daisy." Leo assured her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Daisy jumped at his unexpected presence, but couldn't help but feel a little safer. "Oh, Leo, thank God it's you. I've been so scared." She admitted, brushing a strand of her curly blonde hair away from her face with her uninjured hand.

Leo nodded in understanding and tightened his grip comfortingly on her shoulder. "Look you just have to stay strong a little longer and then you'll be safe."

"He's out there, Leo. He's going to find me." Daisy insisted, her voice shaking. "I've seen what he can do. His powers." She fell silent as Leo carefully took her bleeding hand in his and held his other hand over the cut. There was a warm golden glow that emanated from Leo's hand and the wound disappeared from Daisy's. Her eyes widened. "How did you do that? Who are you people?" Daisy demanded softly.

"You just have to trust me, Daisy." Leo answered cryptically.

She shook her head quickly, appearing overwhelmed by everything. "Why me, Leo? I still don't understand." Daisy whispered.

"You have a very special future ahead of you. That's why I wanted you to come to San Francisco. I have powerful friends who can help you." Leo replied.

"What if Alec finds me first?" Daisy wondered aloud.

"He won't be able to. I've made you invisible to him." He assured her quickly.

"Hello, Leo." Alec's voice caused Daisy and Leo to turn around to find the darklighter quickly approaching. "I've been looking all over for you. Figured you could only be here for one reason." He remarked with an air of casual indifference. His gaze shifted around Leo, searching for any sign of Daisy. "Where are you, Daisy? I know you're close by."

Leo kept his gaze fixed on Alec. "It's okay, Daisy. He can't see you. Don't say a word, just leave quickly." He ordered.

Alec strolled around Leo. "Don't listen to him, sweetie, don't do it." Alec argued. Daisy glanced from Alec to Leo before dashing off in the opposite direction and disappearing into the crowd.

"She's already gone, Alec." Leo stated.

Alec didn't appear put out but instead advanced toward Leo slowly. "I love her, Leo. Much like you love your little witch. What's her name? Piper?" He mocked.

"Darklighters aren't capable of love, Alec." Leo retorted.

"This one is. I love Daisy and you are keeping me from her. Only a couple days ago all I had to do was think about her and bang! I'd be there with her, right there. Then suddenly she vanishes from my radar. Cloaked by a whitelighter. By you." He accused.

Leo narrowed his eyes slightly at Alec. "Then if you know I cloaked her, then you also know that you won't find her as long as I live." He replied, a challenge in his voice.

Alec nodded casually. "Yes, well, I have a solution for that." He admitted. A sadistic smile crossed his features and in his hand, he conjured a crossbow with a puff of black smoke.

Without pause, he aimed and shot the arrow at Leo.

Leo yelled in agony as the arrow pierced his shoulder. It took all his energy to orb out.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"I can't believe you're wearing your bikini on the plane." Phoebe exclaimed as she descended the stairs with several large bags.

Prue was just behind her and the obvious topic of conversation as she was already wearing her bikini with only a light jacket. "Timesaver. We have all of forty-eight hours in Cabo. The minute we land, I'm on the beach getting all golden brown." She announced, flashing her sister a mischevious grin.

Phoebe laughed softly and rolled her eyes. "I know but you're making me look frumpy. It's like a sign of the apocalypse." She joked.

Paige skipped from the kitchen with a water bottle in her hand and her hair pulled back in a ponytail. She paused when she met Phoebe and Prue and her eyes scanned over Prue.

"Wow, Prue. Starting early, I see." She teased.

"Look, I practically had to beg the guy in accounting to lend us his condo. There are no warlocks in sight, Piper is safe, Andy's finally found out our big secret, I'm going to get crazy." Prue defended.

"It's about time. How long have I been after you to find some new male blood? Preferably tan and buff." Phoebe replied with a distant and dreamy look.

Prue smirked. "With limited verbal skills." She added.

"And…?" Phoebe prompted.

"No strings attached!" Prue and Phoebe finished together. "Stella, we are getting our groove back!" Phoebe exclaimed. The two eagerly high-fived but missed, earning a snort from Paige. Prue and Phoebe exchanged a glance before both lightly punched Paige in the shoulder for laughing at them.

Paige raised her hands in a sign of peace. "Okay, so where's Piper? I just finished dropping off all that stuff for Mr. Cowan and am now ready."

Prue fell silent for a moment and glanced back to the stairs. "I think Piper's gonna be in a groove-free kinda mode for awhile." She stated, heading into the kitchen for a lastminute mug of coffee.

"She's not seriously…" Phoebe started.

"…taking a vacation from men. Yep." Prue followed. "Afraid of falling in love again, I think."

Paige shrugged as she followed Prue with Phoebe trailing behind her. "Can you blame her? She hasn't had the best of luck lately." She remarked casually.

"Yeah, but what is she going to be doing while we're partying all weekend?" Phoebe asked. Phoebe and Paige's gaze flickered to Prue for an answer.

"I don't know. Last time I checked, she was in the attic searching for a suitcase to put her books in." Prue responded, raising her eyebrows pointedly at the word 'books.'

Phoebe tilted her head to the side questioningly. "Books? What kind of books?" She wondered.

"Kind they make into Kevin Costner movies." Prue elaborated.

Phoebe's mouth dropped in mock horror. "Oh, we've got to stop the insanity." Phoebe insisted.

"Hey, I like Kevin Costner movies." Paige muttered indignantly, casting a glare at Phoebe and Prue.

"Who's side are you on?" Phoebe snapped, flashing a smile at the end to show she was just joking around.

Prue smirked when Paige fell silent in thought. "Well, maybe we should just let her be. I mean, we're not the ones who fell in love with a warlock, a ghost, a geographically undesirable handyman, and a very dorky grad student." Prue pointed out.

"Frankly, I'm glad she broke up with Josh. Too bad she hadn't decided earlier, we could have broken up with him for her." Paige commented.

"Then we wouldn't have gotten to see Andy scare him off." Prue argued lightly.

Paige narrowed her eyes playfully at Prue. "Too bad only you actually saw that. Not fair." She complained.

"Maybe she's just in a slump. It happens." Phoebe interrupted Prue and Paige. She paused when Paige and Prue both sent her a look. "Okay, it happens to Piper a lot…" She conceded. "…But celibacy's not the answer."

"A couple of dates not picking up the check, that's a slump. This is more like a sucking void." Prue argued lightly.

Prue, Phoebe, and Paige jumped at the sound of a thump followed by Piper's familiar scream. "Prue, Prue! Phoebe! Paige!" Piper's voiced carried down from the attic. Prue and Phoebe took for the stairs while Paige orbed up to the attic. Prue and Phoebe skidded to a halt just inside the door next to Piper and Paige who stood motionless. All eyes were transfixed on Leo. His hand clamped against the shoulder where the arrow protruded.

"Leo?" Prue was the first to break the stunned silence.

~PO4~

Prue burst into the upstairs bathroom and grabbed the half-empty trashcan next to the sink. Dumping out it's contents for later clean-up, she threw open the medicine cabinet and drawers and pulled out everything that could possibly help Leo. When the trashcan was packed full with medical supplies, she dashed back out and up the stairs.

~PO4~

Piper and Phoebe had carefully gotten Leo off the floor and were supporting him as they stumbled toward Aunt Pearl's couch. Paige followed behind with her hands outstretched behind her sisters to catch Leo if they accidently dropped him.

"Be careful!" Piper hissed at Phoebe for no other reason than to break the tense silence.

"I'm being careful." Phoebe snapped.

"I can't believe you knew." Piper continued, now turning her head to glare at Paige as she slowly helped Leo down on the couch. "The fact that our handyman, the man I was dating, was supernatural just happen to slip your mind?" She accused. Her eyes flickered dangerously from Paige and Phoebe, her anger intended for the both of them.

Phoebe allowed Leo to fully drop against the couch before answering Piper. "There was no slipping. I told you, you just didn't want to believe me." Phoebe reminded.

"Piper, I wanted…" Leo choked out but Piper interrupted.

"…But you didn't." She returned, grabbing a pillow and sticking it behind him to make him more comfortable.

Paige stepped between the angry Piper and hurt Leo. "Okay, can we have the conversation later? Like say when Leo is not hurt?" She suggested.

Piper gave her a half-nod but stalked past them to the attic door. "Prue!" She yelled to hurry the eldest sister up.

Phoebe rolled her eyes before running back up to Leo. "We gotta get your legs up." She stated, trying to shift him so that he sprawled the couch.

"Don't worry about me. There's someone… AHH!" His statement ended in a yell of pain as his shoulder pressed against the back of the couch.

"The arrow." Paige mumbled, leaning forward to help.

Leo's hand shot out to grab Paige's wrist. "No, get away. Don't touch it, it's tipped with poison." He ordered and sent a look at Paige that she immediately backed away.

"If I just orb it…" She started.

"No. If it cuts you, you'll die." Leo argued.

"Well, how are we supposed to pull it out if we can't touch it?" Phoebe demanded.

Prue walked in at that moment carrying the trashcan of medical supplies. "Oh, you came to right girl…" She announced. "Hold this." She ordered Piper, pushing the trashcan into Piper's arms. "You ready?" She asked Leo.

Leo shook his head and Prue hesitated. "Not with her in the room. It's too dangerous." He groaned with a faint nod at Paige.

"Paige, go downstairs." Piper ordered suddenly.

Paige narrowed her eyes defiantly. "But…"

"Listen to Piper." Prue snapped, sending a serious look back at Paige that had been dubbed years ago as the 'Phoebe Glare.' Paige huffed but she disappeared in a swirl of orbs, presumably downstairs. Prue looked questioningly at Leo who nodded that he was ready. She bit her lip slightly as she telekinetically pushed the arrow through Leo's shoulder where it pierced the wood of the wall. Prue immediately ran forward to help Leo lay back. "Okay, I brought everything that I could find, I just didn't know what to use on a, uh, what was he again?"

"A whitelighter." Piper muttered as she passed Prue some gauze.

"Yeah, I can't believe you're our whitelighter. I mean, I knew Paige was meeting with one, but right in front of us." Prue rambled in disbelief.

Piper irritably leaned against the couch. "At least you knew she was meeting whitelighters." She commented sharply.

"I didn't hide it from you, Piper. You just never asked." Prue insisted for what felt like the umpteenth time.

"Paige! Bring some more gauze." Piper called before transferring her gaze back to Prue and Phoebe. "You should have told me."

"I should have told you." Leo interrupted apologetically. He yelled as Piper pressed down particularly hard on his wounded shoulder.

Piper glared down at him. "Oh, did that hurt? Good." She pulled away when Prue cast her a warning glance.

Paige ran into the attic with bundles of gauze that she had brought up from the downstairs bathroom. "Here, this is all we have." She stated, droping them onto floor after handing a new roll to Phoebe.

"There's a woman. Daisy. You have to protect her from the Darklighter." Leo replied.

"A Darklighter? Is that what shot you?" Prue asked.

Leo nodded slightly. "Yeah, they, uh, seduce innocent women. Their goal is to create evil through reproduction." He explained quickly.

Phoebe groaned and passed more gauze to Piper. "Great, generation 666." She quipped without humor.

"… Only he broke the rules. He, uh, fell in love with one of his victims. A human. And she loved him back." Leo finished.

"Until she found out who he really was, right?" Piper guessed with a pointed look at Leo.

Leo sighed and glanced apologetically at Piper. "Piper, you have every right to be mad at me." He allowed.

"Thanks for the permission." Piper responded, turning away to dig through the basket of supplies. "Where are the pain meds?"

Paige kneeled down beside her and helped shift stuff out of the way in their search while Leo fixed his gaze on Prue and Phoebe. "Please, you have to find Daisy before he does otherwise she won't be able to do the good that she's destined to. She won't be able to become a whitelighter." He pleaded.

"Okay, where is she?" Prue inquired.

"I don't know. The last time I saw her she was at a mini-mart in the Castro, heading for a rental car." Leo answered. "If he finds her first, he'll never let her go. Ever." He insisted.

"And what about the Darklighter?" Paige wondered curiously.

Leo paused uncertainly. "Just don't let him touch you. His power is in his hands and when he chooses to, he has the touch of death…" He trailed off again with a glance at Paige.

"Paige is more vulnerable. His arrows will do the same to her as me." He warned.

Prue nodded in understanding and turned to Paige. "Alright, call the airline, cancel our tickets. I'll call Andy, see if he can help me locate her, you two…"

"We'll take care of Leo." Phoebe finished to which Piper just nodded, almost reluctantly.

"Perfect." Prue remarked, heading for the stairs without another moment to waste.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

"You enjoying this as much as I am?" Darryl asked sarcastically from behind his desk. He leaned back into his chair, watching Andy with narrowed eyes.

Andy glanced up from the papers he was reading over. "What's that?" He pressed.

Darryl returned by dropping what he was working on his desk and leaning toward Andy. "Oh, you know, the silent treatment, the cold shoulder." He answered coldly.

Andy turned in his chair to look behind him where the internal affairs officers were chatting in the next room over. He rolled his eyes and turned back to Darryl. "I know, it's been a week since Internal Affairs has made a move. What are they waiting for?"

"I'm not talking about I.A. I'm talking about you and me." Darryl corrected.

"I've got no problems." Andy replied, allowing his attention to drift back to his work.

"Well, that makes one of us." Darryl muttered. "I.A. is on our ass and I still don't know why, but I'm pretty damn sure you do. You feel like sharing?" He demanded.

Andy sighed at the conversation turn and eagerly grabbed at the phone when it started ringing so as to avoid answering. "Homicide, Trudeau." He answered professionally while

Darryl leaned back in his seat, watching Andy with interest.

"Andy, hi, I…" Prue's voice carried through the line.

"Hey…" Andy interrupted with a subtle glance at Darryl. "…Franklin, how are things in forensics?" He asked, hoping Prue would get the message.

"You can't talk." Prue realized.

Andy frowned, hearing the disappointment in her voice. "No, actually… Why don't you have it checked out by the F.B.I. lab?"

Prue was silent for a moment trying to figure out what she could say safely and how she could even talk to him. "Look, Andy, I really need your help, it's important. Quake?" She pleaded.

"Okay, I'll be there." Andy promised before quickly hanging up on her. He nodded to Darryl as he stood up and pulled his jacket on.

"Franklin's wife had a baby girl yesterday, took a week off. Did he call you from the maternity ward?" Darryl inquired sarcastically. He stood up and approached the guilty Andy.

"You don't want to tell me what's going on, fine. Just don't lie to me, okay, partner?" Andy gave the faintest of nods before slipping past Darryl for the door. Darryl watched him go before casually closing the door to hide the prying eyes of the I.A. officers.

~PO4~

Quake

Prue met Andy outside the restaurant ten minutes after the call. They took a seat in a secluded corner where Andy's gaze could shift over the majority of the people around them.

"Andy, what's going on?" Prue asked, raising her eyebrows at his uncharacteristic paranoia.

Andy turned back to her and leaned forward so only she could hear him. "Internal Affairs is looking into all of my unsolved cases. All of the ones that involve the supernatural." He explained.

"All the cases that involve me." Prue realized, biting her lip slightly in thought. "Do you think that they followed you here?" She wondered, glancing around the crowd as well.

He shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past them." Andy offered.

Prue ran a nervous hand through her hair. "Andy, if we… if I put you in this situation…"

"I put me here, Prue." Andy interrupted before she could start blaming herself for something that wasn't her fault.

"Yeah, but you had help." Prue argued, falling silent. "Can they force you to tell them?" She questioned, a hint of worry in her voice.

Andy shook his head. "About you? I won't." He promised and Prue gave a slight nod. "… But we have to be careful about being seen together. It has to look like we're still… friends." He cautioned.

Prue tilted her head to the side, giving Andy a calculating look. "Andy, we are still friends. We always will be." She stated.

He didn't say anything for a moment but returned the calculating look. "Are you sure I'm not just someone who's keeping your secret, Prue?" Andy finally asked.

A small smile crossed Prue's features. "You know me better than that." She pointed out to which Andy smiled a little in agreement. "I'm glad I told you. I am." Prue continued.

"So am I." Andy allowed. "Now, when you need me, all you have to do is ask." He replied, leaning forward against the table.

"Well, I am asking. I need to find someone. She's in danger and I have to get to her before he does." Prue explained hopefully.

"He?" Andy repeated before holding up his hand to stop her from elaborating. "You know what, I don't need to know. Specifics always get me into trouble." He joked. "Where was the last time she was seen?" He asked professionally.

Prue thought back for a moment. "Headed to her rental car outside a mini-mart." She answered quickly.

Andy appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Well, we can get the security cameras from the mini-mart and surrounding businesses. See if we can get the car's license plate and see if it leads us to where she's staying." He suggested.

"Thanks." Prue whispered. She smiled, taking Andy's offered hand and he led her out of the restaurant to find Daisy.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe carried a tray of food and various other items into the attic where Leo still sat on the couch with Paige sitting on the 

Leo groaned softly. "I wish she didn't have to find out about me like this. Being with her broke the rules but not being with her breaks my heart." He admitted.

Phoebe and Paige exchanged a glance. "You know, Leo, it's not like we rushed to tell you that we're witches." Phoebe pointed out.

"Yeah, besides, Piper's the nicest one in this family. You guys have a chance to talk and everything will work out." Paige added optimistically.

Leo was silent in thought for a moment before speaking again. "Any word on Daisy?" He wondered, changing the subject. Paige's gaze flickered to Phoebe for an answer as well.

"Yes and no. Prue called. Andy thinks he found out where Daisy's staying. They're on their way now." Phoebe answered. She glanced toward Paige who was smiling slightly to herself. "Don't even think about joining her. You're staying here." She decided with finality.

"I never get to do anything anymore." Paige complained, getting up to her knees and reaching out to change Leo's bandage. Phoebe attempted to keep from looking disgusted but failed.

"It's okay. I know it's bad." Leo mumbled, watching Phoebe's face.

Phoebe laughed a little nervously. "I guess I need to work on my poker face a little bit, huh?" She guessed, passing Paige some cotton balls soaked in peroxide.

Paige gently dabbed the wound on Leo's shoulder. "Why can't you just heal yourself?" She asked.

"My powers are for others. I can't use it on myself." He explained. Leo suddenly fell into a fit of violent coughing that caused Phoebe to run forward and help Paige try and relax Leo.

Paige and Phoebe exchanged a worried glance. "Ah, you know, we just gotta get you better and then you and Piper will have lots of time to talk when you're well." Phoebe rambled.

Leo shook his head slightly. "Phoebe, I'm not going to get better."

"Leo, don't talk like that." Paige ordered sternly. "Piper's gonna find something in the Book of Shadows… or Prue, she'll fix it." She argued stubbornly.

"No, the Darklighter's poison can't be reversed. It's meant to kill whitelighters. That's what it's doing. It's working its way through my system. It's just a matter of time." Leo warned.

"How much time?" Phoebe asked, earning a glare from Paige which she ignored.

"Not much. I'm gonna die and there's nothing you can do about it. My power is ebbing and with it my ability to cloak Daisy." He admitted.

Phoebe pulled out a large piece of gauze, a look of determination in her brown eyes. "We're gonna save you both, Leo." She insisted.

~PO4~

Piper was flipping hastily through the Book of Shadows when Phoebe and Paige joined her in the kitchen. Phoebe took the seat next to Piper while Paige just sat on the edge of the table.

"I've looked everywhere in the damn book for something, anything to help Leo and I can't…" Piper started but trailed off when she glanced up at her sisters. "…What's that face?

What's the matter?" She demanded.

Paige bit her lip slightly. "Leo doesn't look very good and he's not going to get better…" She began.

Piper stubbornly turned her attention back to the pages of the Book of Shadows. "I know. That's why I need to find an ointment or a cure or something." Paige looked to Phoebe for help.

Phoebe reached out and took the book from Piper's hands. "You need to listen. This is really hard to say but I think you need to hear it. I think that you need to learn to accept the possibility that… maybe we're not supposed to save Leo. Maybe he's not our innocent. Maybe we're only meant to save Daisy."

Piper shook her head after a very tense moment of silence. "We have to save him whether we're meant to or not." She snapped, grabbing the book back and heading for the stairs.

Senator Hotel

Daisy shut the door to her hotel room and ran forward, dropping her bag of groceries on the small table. Her eyes landed on the vase of flowers by the window but before she could react, Alec black orbed behind her.

"I got you your favorite. I thought you'd be happy to see me." Alec remarked with a small shrug. He slowly advanced toward her. "I miss this. Us." He continued.

Daisy took a deep breath, attempting to keep calm, while she backed away. "There is no us, Alec. Please stop." She pleaded.

"Never. You're the one, Daisy. Indian summer. Do you remember that, Daisy? When it got so hot in the city you could barely breathe and we sat in the fire escape, taking turns rubbing ice cubes down each other's necks and backs?" Alec reminisced, circling around her.

"Stop!" Daisy shouted.

Alec ignored her. "That's when you first said you loved me. 'Forever, Alec. I'll love you forever.'" He quoted, imitating her voice. Daisy grabbed the vase of flowers next to her and tossed them in his direction. It didn't seem to faze him as they crashed against the wall just inches from him. "Now, is that any way to treat the man that loves you?" He asked  
rhetorically.

"You're not a man, you're not even human." Daisy retorted.

Alec advanced quicker this time, pushing Daisy up against the window. "Don't make me regret telling you who I really am. Don't you get it, Daisy? I love you and now no one can stop us from being together. Think about it. I found you. What do you think that means?" He demanded. His hand reached out to push a lock of Daisy's hair away from her face.

She flinched from his touch, but he stepped closer. "That's right, I've clipped Leo's wings and soon he'll be gone so I can find you whenever I want." Alec stated, a smile widening on his face. He paused when someone began banging on the door behind them.

"Hello, Manager, is everything okay in there?" A voice called through the door, apparently coming to investigate the screaming and sound of breaking glass that had been reported.

"I win." Alec finished.

Daisy shook her head, fighting down her fear. "No, you only win if I come willingly and I never will." She argued.

"Then I'll never go away." Alec replied.

"Hey, I'm coming in!" The manager shouted, using his master's key to open the door.

Daisy tried to move around Alec. "No, don't!" She screamed in warning.

Alec spun away from Daisy and grabbed the manager as soon as the door was open. He pulled him into the room and slammed him against the wall. "Nobody can keep us apart now, Daisy."

"Please, stop!" She begged, her eyes fixed on the powerless manager.

Alec turned his attention to the manager and his hand began to glow a bright red. The manager's skin blistered at the touch and he yelled in agony until he died and Alec let his body drop to the floor. He turned back to Daisy to find her climbing out the window. "You can't run from me!" He yelled after her.

"Daisy!" Prue called, running through the hall at the sound of a fight. She didn't pause to assess the situation but ran right in to find Alec in the room alone. He started toward her but Prue threw her hand out and sent him crashing into a wall mirror at the same time Andy came up behind her with his gun drawn and pointed. Alec blacked orbed out before Prue could stop him.

"What the hell was that?" Andy asked, his eyes following the last of the black orbs.

"Welcome to my world." Prue replied without a glance away from the window where Daisy had disappeared.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe threw the door to the attic open to find Piper on the floor reading through the Book of Shadows. "Hey, Prue's home, she just…" Phoebe trailed off as she heard Piper reading aloud from the open page. "I hear rhyming. What are you doing?" She demanded, hands on hips and eyes narrowed for an explanation.

Piper pushed herself to her feet. "Everything I can. Look, we know Leo can't heal himself but maybe with his powers, I can." She explained with an almost eager glint in her eyes.

Phoebe raised her eyebrows, prompting further explanation. "What are you talking about?" She pressed.

"It's a power switching spell. If Leo and I can exchange powers then I'll have the healing touch and maybe I can fix him." Piper elaborated impatiently.

"Hey, what's going on?" Prue asked as she and Paige entered the attic.

Phoebe shrugged thoughtfully. "Oh, you know, the usual, made some coffee, read the newspaper, walked in on Piper switching powers with Leo. You know." She replied casually.

"Wait what?" Paige inquired.

Piper didn't glance at Paige, but instead looked to Prue. "I have to save him, Prue." Piper insisted.

Prue's gaze shifted around to where Leo was laying unconscious on the couch before giving a faint nod. "Okay, is it safe?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't really care. He's slipping away and if any of you have a better idea, I'm all ears. If not, I'm casting the spell and I would like to do it with the support of my sisters." Piper decided.

Prue nodded faintly, giving her consent and Phoebe and Paige readily followed. "Cast away." Prue allowed.

Piper turned away and kneeled back down in front of the book.

"What's mine is yours, what's yours is mine  
Let our powers cross the line  
I offer up my gift to share  
Switch our powers through the air."

Phoebe looked around curiously as Piper finished the spell. "Did it work?" She wondered.

"I don't feel any difference." Paige announced, her eyes also flickering around the room as if she would be able to see it.

Piper frowned and stood up, looking around for something to try and freeze. Kit ran into the attic at that moment and Piper threw her hands out. Nothing happened and she turned to face her sisters. "I can't freeze." She stated.

Paige looked mildly confused. She figured she would have been able to sense a change in Piper and Leo's powers. "Well, cool. You do your thing and we should…" Paige stopped as she bumped into Phoebe and suddenly was pulled into a premonition.

Kit jumped onto the side table, narrowly missing the vase that sat upon it. The vase flew across the room and shattered against the wall of it's own accord.

"Oh my god…" Paige mumbled, feeling very light-headed. She swayed and only Prue walking up behind her to steady her kept her from falling over. Phoebe was in a similar trance but she, having more experience with her own premonitions, was able to take it in stride and ignore the ringing in her head.

"Oh, I had a premonition." Phoebe announced, appearing confused.

Paige stared at Phoebe in disbelief. "No, I had the premonition. The vase shattered." She argued, pointing at the vase she'd seen.

"You don't have premonitions…" Phoebe started but stopped in thought when Paige said the vase shattered. "Kit no!" Phoebe yelled. She threw her hand out instinctively when Kit jumped onto the table and the vase flew across the room and shattered against the wall. The resulting crash made Prue jump and she disappeared in a swirl of orbs to reappear between her stunned sisters.

"Oh, we've got a problem…" Paige stated.

"Okay, um, what just happened?" Piper demanded quickly.

Prue's eyes flickered from silent sister to silent sister. "Paige had a premonition, Phoebe threw the vase across the room, Piper can't freeze anymore and…"

"… Prue orbed." Phoebe finished.

"…Which means…" Prue continued.

Piper tilted her head to the side expectantly. "Am I gonna get yelled at?" She asked rhetorically.

"…It switched all of our powers!" Prue exclaimed in disbelief.

"Supernatural Freaky Friday." Phoebe quipped.

"I thought Phoebe said she had the premonition." Piper argued stubbornly while crossing her arms across her chest.

Prue shook her head quickly. "No, she definitely moved that vase. She must have got my telepathy too, saw what Paige saw." She decided.

Further conversation was interrupted by the phone ringing downstairs. Phoebe started for the attic door, offering to take the phone. "Oh, you know what, I'm gonna get that and I'm sure you guys will have all of this worked out by the time I get back."

Piper glared after the disappearing Phoebe before turning to face Leo. "Okay, I can do this. Now heal." She ordered, flicking her wrists out over Leo. "Come on, heal. Why aren't these working?" She demanded, spinning on Prue and Paige when nothing happened.

"Okay, okay, okay. Piper, relax." Prue comforted, running forward and gently taking Piper's hands. "Remember when we first got our powers? It took us awhile to figure out how to trigger them." She prompted gently.

"Well, I'm doing what I always do." Piper insisted.

"Yes, but maybe you have to find his trigger. Not yours." Prue explained.

Paige stepped forward and took Piper's hand from Prue and pulled her toward Leo. "I've seen him heal before and he always holds his hand out over the wound and the golden light appears." She offered. "So just play around with that." Paige clarified, showing her how to hold her hand out the way he did.

Before she could try it again, Phoebe came back into the attic with an urgent expression on her face. "Hey, that was Andy. A new charge came up on Daisy's credit card report. She bought a bus ticket twenty minutes ago. She's running again."

"If she leaves town we'll never be able to find her. Let's go." Prue ordered, waving for Phoebe to follow her.

"Wait, we have to switch our powers back." Phoebe argued.

Piper shook her head stubbornly. "Not until I heal Leo."

Phoebe frowned sympathetically. "Piper, we have to go get Daisy." She reminded gently.

"And I have to heal him! I'm not losing him again!" Piper snapped.

Prue stepped up quickly before a full-blown argument could erupt. "Okay, you know what, you stay here. We have to find Daisy before the Darklighter does. We'll just have to do it using each other's powers. Come on."

"No, Prue. You're the Witchlighter so now you have to stay away from the Darklighter. Phoebe and I will go." Paige pointed out, earning a nod of agreement from Phoebe. Prue opened her mouth to protest but Piper grabbed onto her arm and pulled her down next to her. Phoebe and Paige quickly left before Prue could get away from Piper and insist on coming with them.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

"You wanted to see me?" Andy stated as much as asked the two I.A. inspectors as he entered the room that had become way too familiar to him.

"Sit down." Inspector Anderson ordered, waving his hand at the seat across from him. Andy strolled forward and dropped down into the offered seat.

Inspector Anderson let the silence stretch for a few moments before speaking. "You make a habit of showing up at the scene before the crime is reported, Inspector." He remarked, watching Andy for any kind of a reaction.

Andy shrugged, feigning ignorance. "I don't know what you're talking about." He replied.

"Motel Capri." Inspector Anderson began, drawing Andy's attention away from the suspicious Rodriguez. "No one called the manager's murder in, Trudeau. Not until you did." He pointed out while Rodriguez circled slowly around Andy.

"I got a tip." Andy offered.

"You're lying." Rodriguez guessed once again calling Andy's attention back to him. He reached out and picked up a file on the desk in front of them. "Witnesses place you at the scene with a woman. 5'3'' or 4'', brunette, attractive. Ring any bells?" He questioned.

Andy stubbornly stayed silent about Prue's identity. "Last time I checked I didn't have to reveal my informants to you, Rodriguez." He retorted with a casual glance at the circling Rodriguez.

Inspector Rodriguez gave the slightest of nods in acknowledgment. "Maybe not in a court of law, but last time I checked, we weren't in one. This is an I.A. investigation, you don't have the same rights." He stated. Rodriguez sat down on the edge of the table just beside Andy and leaned forward so that he was right in Andy's face. "You have no idea how much I can hurt you."

"Just tell us who you're covering for, Inspector." Anderson demanded as Rodriguez stood up and resumed walking around the room.

Andy didn't answer immediately as his defiant gaze shifted over Inspectors Anderson and Rodriguez. His face full of determination, Andy stood up and reached for his gun and shield on his belt. Anderson stood up quickly, reaching for his own gun until Andy held his other hand up in a sign of peace. He slammed his gun down on the table in front of them and held his badge up for them to see. "Screw you." He cursed. Andy then dropped it next to his gun and threw open the door. He paused just slightly when Prue jumped away from the door with a guilty expression. It was obvious that she'd heard most of the interrogation, if not all of it. Andy hastily shut the door behind him when he heard footsteps  
coming up and grabbed Prue's wrist, pulling her through the hallways before anyone could recognize her.


	42. Love Hurts (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the bottom I put a short promo for my finale that you might want to read.

Bus Depot

Daisy pushed through the crowd of people, trying to get to the bus ticket monitors as fast as she could. She lightly tapped the counter to get the workers' attention as they both had their back turned to her. "Excuse me, where can I find bus 24?" She asked politely with only a hint of the hurry in her voice.

One of the men turned around to meet her and Daisy gasped as she recognized Alec in the uniform. "I told you I'll always be there for you, Daisy." He told her. His small smile faded when Daisy spun around and walked hastily away.

"I'm sorry." She apologized when she accidently knocked into another person in her haste to get away.

"It's quite all right." Alec replied, turning around to face her. Daisy stared at him in disbelief at his second appearance as she backed away again. "I'm in no hurry. I have forever. Care to join me?" He offered.

Daisy looked around her for somewhere to run but she suddenly caught sight of Alec, now on the landing, watching her from afar. Her breath now coming in huffs as her fear set in, she dashed off in a random direction.

~PO4~

Phoebe stopped just inside the building, her eyes scanning the area for any sign of Daisy despite the large crowd that obscured her view. Paige came up behind her and kicked the back of her leg so that Phoebe stumbled forward in surprise. Paige reached out to steady her though there was a wide grin on her face.

"Are you trying to piss me off?" Phoebe rounded on her little sister and crossed her arms across her chest for emphasis.

Paige's brown eyes widened innocently to keep Phoebe wrapped around her little finger. "Actually, yeah, but I'm not doing a good enough job apparently." She admitted, watching Phoebe with a thoughtful expression.

Phoebe started walking without a glance back at Paige. "How can you tell?" She wondered curiously.

"Because nothing's flying through the air. I distinctly remember you pissing Prue off to activate her power and now you're going to need to know how to use it in case the Darklighter attacks us." Paige explained, suddenly reaching out and pushing Phoebe to the side so that she stumbled again.

Phoebe glared but still nothing magical happened. "Okay, it's not so easy to break me." She warned.

Paige rolled her eyes that now had a glint of mischief in them. "Oh yeah… Freebie!" She announced with enthusiasm. Phoebe's hand clenched at her high school nickname and the magazines on a nearby magazine rack flew through the air and landed with a crash among the surprised people that had been the nearest. "That's more like it." Paige allowed, nodding to herself.

Phoebe didn't comment but suddenly grabbed Paige's hand and dragged her across the room to where a woman with curly blonde hair, much like Daisy's, was waiting. They stopped when they realized it wasn't Daisy. "Okay, now it's your turn. We need a premonition, where's Daisy." She decided.

Paige's smile faded as Phoebe used her hand to start touching random objects. "Ew, Phoebe, you have no idea where this stuff has been!" She exclaimed, fairly certain that this was Phoebe's way at getting back at her for the 'Freebie' remark.

"Witch Rule number three, Paige. Always be prepared: hair spray, a lighter, one of those necklaces that are really small daggers, and hand sanitizer." Phoebe listed jokingly.

Paige stared at her in disbelief. "There is no way you have all that." She stated.

Phoebe grinned and pulled her purse around so that Paige could see and pointed out each of the items except the necklace which she pulled out by the chain around her neck. "Though I suggest keeping an open pack of cigarettes in your purse for appearance purposes. It would look suspicious to have a lighter without cigarettes." She added helpfully.

Paige ignored her and reached out to touch a random chair that they passed only to get nothing. "I don't see the point in this. You said yourself that you can't force a premonition." She pointed out.

"See you guys take for granted that I'm your innocent yellow pages. This takes work." Phoebe returned. 

Oh no, work!

"Shut up, Paige." Phoebe snapped.

"I didn't say anything." Paige countered indignantly.

Whatever. You're just mad I got to go to New York while you had to stay with Ms. Workaholic.

Paige stopped and spun on Phoebe with narrowed eyes. "Uh, no, actually. New York's not my style." She replied striking a dramatic pose while running a hand through her hair.

Phoebe stared at her for a moment before her eyes sparked with realization. "Ugh. Freakin' telepathy. I'll be glad to get rid of that." She groaned loudly. Paige rolled her eyes before sitting on the edge of the ticket monitor booth in the hopes of having a better view of the crowd. She was quickly pulled into a premonition of Daisy leaning against the bathroom wall. "Perfect. Bathroom." Phoebe realized, walking off in the corresponding direction. Paige didn't follow as she was busy trying to regain her head that felt like it was spinning. Phoebe sighed and walked back where she grabbed Paige's hand and dragged her younger sister toward the bathroom.

"Phoebe!" Paige complained as she was dragged away.

~PO4~

"Okay, it's going to be okay. I can handle this." Daisy whispered to herself as she ran her hand through the water flowing out of the faucet and then proceeded to let the water cool the skin on the back of her neck. She looked up into the mirror to find Alec standing silently behind her. She spun around and tried to slip away but Alec blocked her path, cornering her against the wall.

"You can't run from me, Daisy." He remarked.

"Why won't you leave me alone?" Daisy demanded.

Alec let his hand rest gently against her cheek. "Because we can be happy together. We were once, remember? All you have to do is come with me willingly." He explained as if it was obvious.

"And what? Watch while you kill more innocent people?" She retorted, on the verge of tears.

"You made me do that. That man would still be alive if you had just come with me. That's all I ask and the killing will stop. We can have eternity together." Alec insisted. He leaned forward to kiss her when Daisy kicked up, kneeing him in the groin and he stumbled back. He recovered quickly and grabbed her by the neck, tossing her against the bathroom wall as he heard the door open behind him.

He spun around to find Phoebe and Paige standing next to the door. "Hey, back off Darklighter." Phoebe ordered, stepping forward dangerously with Paige on her heels.

"This is a private conversation, Witch." Alec countered, conjuring his crossbow in his hand and pointing it straight at Phoebe.

Paige started tugging nervously on the sleeve of Phoebe's shirt. "Uh, okay, Pheebs, do something." In response, Phoebe threw her hand out but instead of throwing Alec backward, the soap in the soap dispensers squirted out and the water flowed out of the faucets. Paige groaned and ran forward, pushing Phoebe roughly forward in the hopes of making her angry.

Alec laughed while Phoebe turned to glare at Paige. "I've never used this on a witch before." He mocked, readying his crossbow.

"Um, Prue's jacket that got shredded, you got blamed for it, I did it." Paige confessed hastily. "Well, actually my boyfriend's lawnmower did it…" She amended but Phoebe wasn't listening anymore.

Phoebe swiped her hand to the side and Alec crashed into one of the cubicles. "I couldn't borrow anything from her for weeks, Paige!" She hissed while Paige smirked but otherwise ignored her and ran forward to grab the crossbow.

She leveled the crossbow at Alec. "Oh, the irony." Paige taunted, shooting the arrow at him. He black orbed out and the arrow stuck into the wall where he had been a moment previous.

"Oh god, is he…?" Daisy started but trailed off.

"Daisy, Leo sent us, we have to take you to him. Come on." Phoebe explained. Paige took Daisy's hand and they ran out the bathroom door back for their house.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper stared down at her hands in frustration before once again placing them over Leo just as Paige had shown her. "Oh god, please work. Come on. Work." She whispered pleadingly but there was no warm golden light and Leo remained barely breathing in front of her.

Leo weakly opened his eyes and moved his head just enough that he could see Piper. "When I die…"

"You're not going to die." Piper interrupted softly but sternly.

"When it happens… know this is where I want to be." He continued as if she hadn't interrupted him. Leo offered her a small smile. "I love you." He breathed. Tears spilled from

Piper's eyes as she clung to him, letting her head rest against his chest. Leo's hand gently took hers in silent comfort.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Andy pushed Prue roughly into an empty storage room and closed the door behind him. "What are you doing here? I told you we had to be careful about being seen together." He reminded her, his voice soft so as not to alert anyone outside the small room but stern and serious. "Not to mention they have your description. If they had seen you…"

"Andy!" Prue hissed to stop his lecturing.

"What?" Andy asked, narrowing his eyes at her interruption of a very serious matter.

Prue pointed to the door and Andy tried to read her eyes but they were full of mixed emotions that he couldn't quite place. Was it anger, fear? Or was she upset? Grateful? Or all of the above? "What was that?" She demanded in a carefully controlled voice.

Andy was still attempting to (and failing at) figure out what was going through her head. Maybe she just didn't realize how much a risk it had been for her to come here but that just didn't seem like her. "What was what?"

Prue pointed again to the door. "That. Back there. In that room. What happened?" She clarified shortly.

"Didn't you hear?" Andy returned.

"I thought I did, but I must have heard wrong because you did not just quit your job." Prue responded. Her voice was steadily rising and bordering on hysteria.

"Shh…" Andy hissed, glancing over at the door nervously. He listened closely and heard footsteps walking by the door. Prue tensed beside him and he carefully pushed her farther into the shadows in case someone came in. Andy figured he could come up with a reason to be in the storage room but including Prue would be like walking on the edge of a cliff.

Luckily the footsteps died away. He waited a few more moments before turning his attention back to Prue. "It's automatic suspension actually." He corrected, attempting to lighten the mood and calm her down a little.

Prue stared at him and he silently begged her to say something. She finally turned her penetrating gaze away from him and ran a hand through her hair. She turned away from him and started for the door without saying anything. There was a determined glint in her eyes that worried Andy.

"Prue, wait." He called after her and she hesitantly stopped. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go tell them it's me they're looking for and get your job back." She stated though she sounded a little uncertain. Uncertain but determined.

Andy wrapped his arm around her waist before she could protest and pulled her back from the door and around to face him. "No, Prue. You have no idea what they could do." He argued.

"I'm willing to take whatever they want to throw at me." Prue decided, trying to wiggle out of his grip.

Andy's arm tightened around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "I can't let you do that." He insisted.

"And I can't let you lose everything you've ever worked for." She countered. Prue fell silent and avoided Andy's gaze. Neither of them spoke but finally Andy placed his hand under her chin and gently forced her to meet his eyes.

"I'm willing to let that happen." Andy replied, carefully stepping around her and opening the door. When he was sure it was safe he took her hand and pulled her after him. "Come on. There's a better place for us to talk." Prue sighed and reluctantly followed after him.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"Prue? Piper?" Paige called through the silent house as soon as she pushed the front door open. She held it back as Daisy followed her in, but let it go after. The door slammed into Phoebe, who was bringing up the rear. Phoebe stalked inside, glaring daggers at Paige's back. She almost twitched her hand to telekinetically push Paige to the floor but was quickly subdued by the look of concern on Paige's face. "Phoebe, they're not answering." Paige exclaimed in worry.

Phoebe linked arms comfortingly with Paige. "They're probably just busy with Leo. Don't worry so much, you'll get wrinkles." She joked to lighten the mood. Nevertheless, Phoebe turned directly for the stairs. "Come on, let's check on Leo." She suggested over her shoulder. Paige and Daisy followed and Phoebe led the way into the attic. "Piper, Prue, we found Daisy…" Phoebe trailed off when she saw Piper curled on the ground next to the couch.

Piper didn't so much as look up from staring distantly at the wall across from her. "I tried… He's gone." She stated simply, slowly rocking herself back and forth. Phoebe ran forward and kneeled next to Piper, pulling her into a tight hug. 

Daisy spun around and dashed down the stairs without a word.

Phoebe stared after her, torn between her sister and the innocent, until she caught Paige's eyes.

I'll get Daisy. Take care of Piper.

Phoebe gave the slightest of nods in agreement. I will. See if you can find Prue after you take care of Daisy. She can always help Piper the best.

'Kay. Paige quietly walked out of the attic in search of Daisy.

~PO4~

Paige hastened down the stairs after Daisy. She had just reached the bottom of the stairs when she heard the front door open. "Daisy, wait!" She yelled after their innocent. She paused, closing her eyes and concentrating. Paige groaned when she remembered she couldn't orb anymore and took off after Daisy, catching up to her on the street. "Daisy, hold on. I know you've been through a lot today and you're scared and that you don't know me, but I need you to trust me. Please, I can help." She insisted, slowing down so that she approached less dramatically and hopefully so she wouldn't scare Daisy anymore than she already was.

Daisy spun back to Paige on the verge of tears. "Who are you people? What the hell do you want from me?" She screamed.

"My name is Paige Matthews and I'm kinda… like Leo. I'm sort of part guardian angel." Paige started, trailing off when Daisy shook her head appearing overwhelmed. "I know this is a lot to process but I really just want to help you." She finished softly.

Daisy sighed and hesitantly took a step toward Paige. "I feel like I'm going crazy." She admitted, wrapping her arms around herself as if trying to hold herself together.

"I think after these past few days, anyone would." Paige sympathized. She paused before holding her hand out to Daisy. "I promise, I'll protect you from Alec. We'll stop him."

"I don't want you to try. Too many people have died because of me… and now Leo." Daisy trailed off as a soft sob shook her body.

Paige carefully placed an arm around Daisy's shoulder. "I'm going to miss Leo too. He was… kind of like my mentor, but it's not your fault. You're not responsible for other people's actions." Paige bit her lip slightly as it suddenly began to sink in that Leo was really dead, but she stubbornly held herself together. "Leo trusted us to help you and we can, but I need you to trust me." Daisy finally nodded and allowed Paige to lead her back into the Manor.

~PO4~

The Park

Prue slipped onto the bench swing next to Andy, fiddling with her hands in her lap. The only sound was the faint wind through the trees and the soft squeak of the swing as Andy rocked it back and forth with his foot. "I guess we're not here for the same reason we used in high school." She stated lightly so as to break the silence.

"Unfortunately, no." Andy lamented, tossing a rock into the grass to let out a little of his frustration.

"Kind of makes me wish for the good old days." Prue whispered. She leaned back against the swing, watching the horizon as the sun slowly set.

Andy smirked and lightly nudged Prue's arm with his elbow. "We tried that already." He pointed out with a soft laugh. Prue rolled her eyes good-naturedly and couldn't help but smile a little in return. "Listen, Prue, Rodriguez is eventually going to connect you to all those unsolved cases and he'll put the heat on you to get to me… Unless you're careful, he's gonna figure out it's you and your sisters that he really wants…" He warned gently. Prue looked away guiltily back at the setting sun. She had a feeling she knew what he was going to say next and she dreaded it. "…Until I.A.'s off my back, it's better if we're not even seen together. You don't want him to connect the dots, believe me." Andy insisted.

Prue said nothing for several moments but eventually turned to Andy to find him watching her in concern. "I feel like an awful person." She admitted to his questioning gaze. "I just ruined everything you've ever worked for and you're still trying to help…"

Andy thought carefully about what to say before answering. "Every one of those unsolved cases that Rodriguez is tracking down, is an innocent life you and your sisters helped to save. What you're doing is the reason I became a cop." He assured her but he could tell that she wasn't convinced.

"I'm sorry." Prue apologized softly.

Andy shook his head and smiled genuinely back at her. "Don't be. Everything happens for a reason. Remember, you taught me that."

Prue nodded faintly before leaning forward and kissing Andy on the cheek. "Thanks…" She whispered as she pulled away. "…For everything." She reluctantly stood up to leave, only getting up because she knew she had to get back to her sisters. With one last smile to Andy, she walked around the swing back to the path that would lead her out.

"Take care, Prue." Andy wished, watching her leave. He stared at the spot where Prue had disappeared long after she was gone.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Phoebe leaned against the door of the attic next to Piper after going downstairs to check on Paige and Daisy. She carefully took Piper's hand in hers in a show of silent support.

Piper showed no sign of noticing, her eyes transfixed on the unmoving Leo that was still on their couch. "I thought you might like to talk." Phoebe remarked gently, inwardly begging Piper to say something.

Piper didn't say anything for a long moment and Phoebe almost thought she wasn't going to reply. "He could have stayed with us. He could have fought harder." She finally stated, her voice emotionless.

"He was in pain. He had to let go." Phoebe whispered.

Piper pulled her hand roughly out of Phoebe's and stepped away. "He didn't have to. Our magic's never failed before." Piper argued. "I cast the spell, I took his power, all he had to do was show me how to do it and he never did." She snapped while she fought back tears.

Phoebe's eyes flickered from Piper to Leo and back again. "How can you be mad at him?" She asked simply.

"Because it should have worked!" Piper yelled. Several tears slipped down her cheeks as she spun back to face Phoebe. "Paige is having premonitions and you've figured Prue's power out… Prue orbed out of here because she sensed something was wrong with Andy and I couldn't even figure out his trigger. Why couldn't he just help me, give me his power…"

Phoebe slowly approached the distraught Piper and pulled her older sister into a tight hug. "He wanted to live. He didn't want to leave you…" She started, stroking her sister's hair.

"It's hard to lose someone you love." Piper nodded very faintly and her gaze shifted back to Leo before she buried her face into Phoebe's shoulder.

~PO4~

Night had fallen and Phoebe had moved on downstairs to help Paige with a plan, allowing Piper to mourn Leo in peace. The elder sister sat next to the couch and held Leo's hand tightly in hers while her head rested on the edge of the cushion. "I love you, Leo." She whispered. It was the only sound to penetrate through the eerie silence that surrounded her. Her shoulders shook with soft sobs and a tear fell from her cheek to land on her hand. Her hand began to glow with a soft golden light that she didn't notice at first as her eyes were tightly shut. When she did Piper froze in surprise but she realized immediately what it meant. "I found it. Leo, I love you." She repeated, holding her hand over Leo just  
as Paige had shown her earlier. "Can you hear me? I love you, Leo. Please hear me." Piper pleaded when there was no response. The light disappeared from her hand and she was about to start panicking that it didn't work when Leo's eyes fluttered open.

"Piper." Leo breathed, a small smile forming on his face.

A grin spread across Piper's features, quickly followed by her throwing her hands around Leo's neck. "Oh, thank God. I tried so hard and I couldn't make it work before. Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, her voice muffled because she had buried her face in Leo's shoulder.

Leo's hand carefully stroked her hair. "That love was the trigger? You had to find that out on your own." He explained gently. "Why couldn't you tell me?" Leo wondered.

"I don't know. I was afraid, afraid that if I admitted how I really felt it would hurt more if I lost you." She choked out with a slight shrug. "I'm so sorry. I should have said it before." Piper apologized.

"It's better late than never." Leo allowed, pushing Piper a little away from him so he could see her face. He smiled and pulled her back forward until their lips met in a passionate kiss.

~PO4~

Piper carefully supported Leo as they climbed down the stairs only minutes later. Phoebe jumped up in surprise when she saw them while Paige's jaw dropped in disbelief. Daisy was too stunned to speak.

"Leo, oh my god… how did you…?" Phoebe stuttered but Piper interrupted her by waving her hand in a sign for silence.

"There's no time to explain." Piper began.

Leo, now leaning on the stair rail for support instead of Piper, looked at Daisy. "You've been out of the cloak too long." He told her before directing his attention to the sisters. "Alec can find her." He stated.

"Is Prue back yet?" Piper asked.

Paige shook her head quickly. "No, we haven't seen her since we found Daisy." She answered.

Piper nodded to herself. "She went to help Andy so somebody call him. We need to get her back here and we need to find a spell to vanquish Darklighter." Piper decided.

"The Power of Four spell." Leo offered.

"Okay, I'll call Andy's cell and Paige, you call Prue's in case she has her cell phone on her." Phoebe ordered, reaching for the phone on the side table near them. Paige took off for the kitchen where she had left their other cell. Before Phoebe had even finished dialing the number Alec appeared in a swirl of black orbs in their foyer. Her eyes widened and she instinctively threw her hand out to activate Prue's telekinesis. She missed, hitting the chandelier, which dropped to the ground and shattered behind Alec. Piper ran forward and pushed Daisy behind her.

Alec grabbed Piper, who was closest, and pulled her away from her sisters and Leo. Paige came running back in after hearing the crash of the chandelier. "Piper!" Paige yelled.

Alec's hand began glowing a bright red as he activated his touch of death and held it threateningly close to Piper. "Don't move." He snapped at Paige, who obeyed reluctantly. "No more tricks, ladies." Alec warned carefully, maneuvering Piper into a better position.

"Let her go, Alec." Leo growled but his silent threat was negated by the fact he couldn't move away from the steps that was his support.

"I don't think so. I have what you love , you've got what I love. Care to trade?" Alec suggested. In response Phoebe brought her hand back, fully prepared to send him flying.

"Don't do that!" Alec threatened, moving his hand closer to Piper so that she had to lean away to keep from being touched by his touch of death. "I will kill her if I have to." His triumphant gaze shifted to Leo. "You still think I'm incapable of love, Leo? You wanna see how far I'm willing to go?"

"Alec, no!" Daisy screamed.

"Daisy, stay back." Piper ordered.

Alec shook Piper in frustration. "You shut up." He snapped. There was a sudden yell that sounded just before a swirl of bright blue and white orbs appeared and deposited Prue on the floor. She slid with the force of the teleportation, right toward Alec. He easily side-stepped her but used the resulting confusion to his advantage. Alec tossed Piper into Phoebe and grabbed Daisy.

"No!" Leo yelled, stumbling forward.

"Phoebe, stop him!" Prue hissed from her position on the ground. She pushed herself to her feet and prepared to call something to her hand just as Phoebe prepared to throw Alec. Neither of them had time to finish their actions as Alec black orbed out. Paige ran forward at the last moment and grabbed onto the disappearing Alec and Daisy. Black orbs surrounded Paige and all three were gone, leaving Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Leo in a stunned silence.

~PO4~

The remaining three sisters went into action after about three seconds. After all, not only had their innocent been taken, but their sister too. And that was unacceptable.

"Leo! What do we do?" Phoebe demanded, pacing back and forth around the room with a panicked expression on her face. "That Darklighter just took Daisy AND Paige!"

Prue quickly stepped up as Leo was looking rather overwhelmed by both Phoebe and Piper. Prue grabbed Phoebe's hand, pulling her around so that they were face to face.

"Phoebe, calm down. Breathe. I need you to focus, okay?" She soothed, her voice carefully calm. She pushed a lock of Phoebe's hair away from her face as Phoebe took a deep breath and nodded.

On the other end of the room, Leo had sat a nearly hyperventilating Piper down on the couch and was attempting to explain to her about sensing. "Take deep calming breaths, close your eyes, and try to find her." He was saying.

Piper took a moment to copy his instructions before her eyes fluttered open. "I can't do it." She stated in annoyance.

"Yes, you can, you have every one of my powers, including the one to find Daisy." Leo insisted gently.

"Why can't Prue do it? She's a whitelighter now." Piper pointed out loudly.

Prue turned around in surprise at hearing her name. "What now?" She asked.

Leo was already shaking his head and waved his hand for Prue to ignore Piper's suggestion. "Listen, I'm Daisy's whitelighter, not Paige. That means my power is attuned to her and it's much harder to sense someone that's not your charge or from your immediate family out of everyone else that may need help." He argued carefully.

"Why don't you guys just switch your powers back?" Phoebe suggested as if it was obvious. She looked to Prue for support.

Prue shrugged but gave a slight nod. "It'd probably be faster."

"No, I'm still too weak. Piper has to do it." Leo countered before looking back at Piper again. "Trust me, Piper…" He pleaded and Piper closed her eyes and took another long, deep breath. "…Okay, look deep inside yourself, peace, the place where you find love." Leo instructed.

"Right, I can hear her." Piper announced following several moments of tense silence.

Leo nodded to himself. "Listen to her. Let her tell you where she is." He continued.

Piper shifted a little and closed her eyes tighter as she attempted to listen for Daisy. "She's screaming, she's afraid… He's pushing her past some trees." Piper began, pausing after a moment. "I don't know about Paige." She added with a hint of fear.

"Don't worry about Paige. She's more than capable of taking care of herself." He assured Piper. "Now, can you recognize the place? Can you tell where they're at?" Leo questioned.

Piper's eyes fluttered back open in realization. "Heroes Grove. Golden Gate Park." She answered promptly.

"Let's go." Prue ordered, already heading for the door.

Piper hesitated with a glance at Leo as she pulled him to his feet. "Uh, what about Leo?" She asked in concern.

Leo tried to wave her away. "I'm fine. Save Daisy."

Prue exchanged a glance with Phoebe. "Piper, we really need the four of us to do this." She pointed out carefully.

"Wait, I don't think we do. I think there's a better way." Phoebe interrupted. "Piper, stay with Leo. Prue, orb us to Heroes Grove." She delegated, taking Prue's hand. She pulled back a little with a worried expression. "Just try and land us upright since I'm with you this time." Phoebe added, a hint of a tease in her voice.

Prue glared, unable to find anything funny about landing on her stomach and sliding across the floor, nearly into a Darklighter. Nevertheless, she took Phoebe's hand again and the two disappeared in a swirl of orbs.

~PO4~

The Park

Alec turned to face Paige as soon as they reappeared amidst the dark orbs in the park. "Witch." He hissed, spitting the word out as if it was a curse. He kept one hand tightly around Daisy while his other hand glowed red and reached threateningly toward Paige. Paige dodged to the left so that his hand swiped just by her.

"Alec, stop!" Daisy yelled, using her weight to knock Alec slightly unbalanced in order to give Paige a few more moments to react.

Alec growled in frustration and tossed Daisy to the ground. "You could have been my mate, Daisy, my equal." He snapped at the cowering woman. Daisy attempted to crawl backwards away from Alec but he easily kept up with her.

"Hey, leave her alone." Paige ordered, her eyes scanning the park for something that she could use. She made a mental note to ask Phoebe for some basic martial arts tips which would have come in handy in this situation. She figured her best option was just to keep him talking until her sisters got here. She tried not to think about how they would know where they were. Paige took several warning steps forward.

Alec spun back around as his crossbow conjured in his hand. He pointed it straight at Paige, who forced herself not to flinch. "I can't just leave the woman I love." He countered with a sadistic grin.

Paige looked around him where she met Daisy's eyes. Daisy gave the faintest of nods before Paige let her gaze flicker back to Alec. "If you truly loved her you wouldn't hurt her like this." Paige argued. Daisy quietly got up and stepped carefully away while Alec's attention was transfixed on Paige.

"That isn't for you to decide." Alec snapped. He fired the crossbow, forcing Paige to dive out of the way again. Alec stalked toward Paige while pointing the reloaded crossbow at her. She was too close this time and he knew she wouldn't be able to dodge again. His eyes met Paige's determined brown ones before he realized what she was doing. Alec looked back over his shoulder, fully expecting the absence of Daisy, but it didn't stop the anger that boiled inside him. "Nice try, but I can always find her. She can't get away."

Paige smirked as she saw blue and white orbs swirling behind Alec. "That wasn't the idea." She assured him.

"Crossbow!" Prue called before Alec could figure out what Paige had meant. The crossbow orbed to Prue's hand and she took off in the direction Paige was pointing after Daisy.

"She's mine." Alec stated harshly. He started to black orb out after Daisy.

"Son of a…" Phoebe started, throwing her hand out at Alec. A telekinetic blast slammed into Alec and sent him flying through the air where he hit the ground several feet back. Power switching spell. Cover your ears.

No way. My turn. Cover your ears. Paige grinned at the fallen darklighter.

"What's mine is yours, what's yours is mine,  
Let our powers cross the line…"

"You really should have stayed out of this." Alec threatened, activating his touch of death.

"…I offer up my gift to share,  
Switch our powers through the air." Paige chanted.

The red glow faded from Alec's hand and a moment later Paige's hand began to glow the eerie bright red. "What? Where's my power?" Alec demanded, staring at his hands in disbelief.

Paige's gaze was on her hand before she glanced over at Phoebe. "Hate." She realized. She knew Phoebe would get what she meant.

Phoebe nodded. "Then hate him." She ordered, telekinetically pulling Alec toward Paige.

Paige held her hand out and grabbed hold of Alec when he was in reach. Alec yelled in agony as his skin began to blister under Paige's touch of death and he dropped to his knees.

Paige fell down next to him and whispered under her breath the spell.

"What's mine is yours, what's yours is mine,  
Let our powers cross the line,  
I offer up my gift to share,  
Switch our powers through the air."

The glow faded from her hand as it had Alec's moments earlier signaling that she had finished the spell in time. She pulled back quickly, a little horrified at the power of the touch of death.

"You okay?" Phoebe asked quickly, running up to kneel down next to Paige.

"Um, yeah. It was just… wow. That felt awful." Paige mumbled. She allowed Phoebe to pull her to her feet. "Now what?" Paige wondered as her gaze scanned the forest. They didn't really have a way home without Prue who was nowhere to be seen.

Phoebe shrugged thoughtfully. "Yeah, I didn't really think that far ahead." She admitted sheepishly. "Well, Prue! Prue!" She shouted to the empty park.

"I don't think she's going to hear you. It took me months…" Paige trailed off as Prue and Daisy orbed in-in front of the two youngest Halliwell sisters. Paige placed her hands on her hips and glared at Prue. "That's not fair." She grumbled.

"Sorry, Missy Paige. What can I say? I'm a natural." Prue joked with a dramatic air.

Daisy stared down at the scorch mark on the grass that was left of Alec. "He's gone. You did it! You just gave me my life back!" She exclaimed. Daisy threw her arms around Paige's neck gratefully. Prue and Phoebe exchanged a smile.

"Let's just get back first and then we can celebrate." Paige suggested, grabbing Prue's hand. Phoebe took Prue's other hand while Daisy took Paige's.

"Now, when we get home, you're gonna give me my power back, right?" Phoebe questioned nervously.

"Only if Prue gives me mine back." Paige replied cheekily.

Prue smirked and shook her head. "No way. I'm an angel now. Why would I trade?"

"Prue, you make a very scary angel." Phoebe admitted with a hint of laughter in her voice.

"My powers are more pacifist. Do you think you can handle that?" Paige inquired pointedly.

Prue frowned uncertainly. "Eh, I think I need my telekinesis back. It's just so much fun." She allowed with a dramatic sigh. "I guess I'll have to give you your power back. I can't be a pacifist." Prue continued in her baby voice.

Phoebe patted Prue on the back comfortingly. "I know the feeling. That's why Paigey is the pacifist in the family." She soothed teasingly. Prue laughed and they disappeared amidst the blue and white lights leaving behind an empty park.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper lay against Leo on Aunt Pearl's couch in the attic, her head resting on his chest with his arms wrapped around her. "I almost wish I didn't give you your powers back. Then you wouldn't be able to leave." She admitted softly.

"Me too." Leo sighed though there was a faint smile of content on his face. This was how it was supposed to be. Just able to sit and hold his love without the worry of demons or rules.

Another moment of silence fell between them before Piper tilted her head to look at Leo with a question in her eyes. "So if Daisy's a whitelighter-to-be… doesn't that mean you used to be…"

"Human?" Leo finished. His smile widened. "Yes, it does. I actually was born right here in San Francisco. I had lived here all the way up till I went off to the war." He explained.

"You mean like Vietnam?" Piper asked.

Leo shook his head at her misunderstanding. "No, World War II." He answered to which Piper shifted a little in surprise so that she could see him better. "I left med school and enlisted as a medic. I wanted to help save people, not shoot them. The last thing I remember, I was bandaging a soldier's head wound and I felt a sharp pain and the next thing I knew I was surrounded by whitelighters. They offered me immortality and the chance to help special people like you." His eyes met Piper's curious brown ones. "I never once ever doubted that I didn't make the right choice. Until I met you. Ever since, all I can think is how I'd give it up and have a mortal life again to have a family, grow old… with you." Leo  
went on.

Piper suddenly pushed herself into a sitting position next to him. "Is that possible?" She questioned quickly.

Leo nodded, leaning toward her. "Yeah, I can become human again, Piper, if you want me to." He repeated.

"Are you kidding? I want that more than anything. I don't want to lose you again." Piper admitted, but she ran a hand hesitantly through her hair and appeared to be deep in thought.

"But…" Leo pressed, sensing it coming.

"…But then you wouldn't be able to help other witches or other future whitelighters, would you?" Piper realized. "You couldn't help save the next Daisy." She finished.

Leo's silence was answer enough. He sighed softly as he realized what she really wanted of him. "I better go." He stated reluctantly. Leo leaned forward, kissing Piper one last time. His hand lingered against her cheek. "I love you." He whispered before he slowly stood up from his place beside Piper and disappeared in a swirl of orbs.

"I love you too." Piper echoed even though Leo was already gone. She leaned back against the couch watching as the last of the orbs faded away.

~PO4~

Construction Site

Inspector Anderson put his undercover cop car into park on the far side of the construction site. He used a pair of binoculars to spy on Andy and Darryl while wearing earphones to pick up what the two partners were talking about. Unfortunately, all he could make out were the sounds of construction. Inspector Rodriguez sat next to him, his eyes fixed out the window as he thought carefully about his next move.

~PO4~

Andy strolled casually up to Darryl where he stopped and clapped hands with Darryl in greeting. "How ya doing?" Darryl asked.

Andy shrugged a little. "Been better." He admitted but he smiled nonetheless. "How about you?" He returned, hoping that Darryl wasn't having to deal with any fallout that he had caused.

"Those I.A. son of a bitches wanted me to wear a mike." Darryl replied as answer enough.

Andy nodded as if he expected as much. "So you wearing one?" He wondered curiously though it didn't matter. They'd picked this place to meet precisely so they wouldn't be heard through some piece of technology.

"What do you think?" Darryl questioned rhetorically.

"You in any kind of trouble?" Andy changed the subject away from the mike after a slight nod of understanding.

"Less than you." Darryl allowed.

"I just want you to know that I'm doing it for a good cause." Andy responded.

Darryl rolled his eyes in frustration at the vague explanation that Andy had given him again. "Andy, I'm your partner. More importantly, I'm your friend. I wanna believe you're on our side. It would really help me if I knew why you were doing this." Darryl started. He continued hastily as Andy opened his mouth to protest. "I'm not asking for I.A. I'm asking for me. I think you owe me that." He pointed out.

~PO4~

Rodriguez glanced away from the window and toward Inspector Anderson, who was still attempting to pick up some kind of information. "I told you they'd meet, didn't I?" Rodriguez broke the silence.

"Doesn't do us any good if we can't hear them over the noise. I sure wish I could read lips." Anderson lamented.

~PO4~

"…Who you covering for?" Darryl pressed.

Andy sighed and looked around them hesitantly to make sure no one was within listening range. "It's Prue. And all I can tell you is she's connected to all our unsolved cases."

"Prue, huh?" Darryl repeated, appearing thoughtful. "I was so hoping you weren't gonna say that." He admitted though in all truth, he wasn't surprised.

~PO4~

Anderson slammed his hand down on the seat in frustration as the sound of a horn echoed through his headphones and blocked the entire conversation between Andy and Darryl.

"I can't hear a thing." He growled.

"He's covering up for Prue Halliwell." Rodriguez stated suddenly.

Anderson cast Rodriguez a look of confusion. "What? How the hell did you…" He trailed off as Rodriguez faced him. Rodriguez's eyes were red and Anderson was paralyzed in horror. Anderson's face suddenly went blank as if in a stupor as Rodriguez bent his partner's will to follow his instructions without question.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper grabbed the last blanket off the couch and folded it neatly before placing it on the arm of the couch. She glanced over the now semi-clean attic and started to take all the medical supplies back to the bathroom when her eyes caught sight of something on the couch. Piper changed her course to pick up the chain, the dog tags tinkling against each other. She looked at the names and smiled faintly as she read Leo's name engraved on the metal. "Leo." She whispered. Piper looked over the empty room as if she expected to see Leo. When she didn't see him, she sighed and slipped the chain over her head.

~PO4~

Leo smiled a small smile as Piper found the dog tags just as he had hoped. He lingered, watching her for a few moments longer before allowing himself to return to the heavens. He felt a light pull against him, but with his thoughts filled with Piper, didn't think too much about it. However, when he rematerialized he wasn't in the heavens where he had expected to be. Leo's pale eyes flickered around him in confusion before he chuckled softly to himself. He ran a hand through his hair while casually scolding himself for not paying attention to where he was orbing. After all, the view from the top of a mountain was hardly terrifying to someone who couldn't die from falling off. In fact, it was a beautiful scene. So entranced was he that he didn't hear the footsteps approaching behind him. He didn't know he had been hit from behind. Everything just went black.

~PO4~

Phoebe dropped down into the seat at the table next to Paige while Prue fixed herself a cup of tea. Paige had her eyes fixed on a crossword puzzle and Prue didn't appear to have any intention of starting a conversation. "Is it just me or can you draw a chalk outline around this place?" Phoebe quipped to break the silence.

Prue rolled her eyes good-naturedly as she joined Phoebe and Paige at the table. "Well, I don't know what you could possibly mean, Phoebe, I mean, the weekend's almost over, we never made it to Cabo, I'm never gonna see Andy again, and Piper just lost the love of her life." Prue replied dramatically pessimistic.

"The glass is way more than halfway full here, Prue." Phoebe argued lightly. She glanced at Paige pointedly. "We just need to lighten the place up, right Paigey?" She suggested.

Paige smirked and stood up from the table. "No problem." Paige skipped over to the refrigerator and pulled out three pineapples and a bottle of coconut milk that she placed on the table. "See, Prue, it's all about perspective. Leo is still alive, this whole thing with Andy will blow over very soon, and we can bring Cabo to us." She exclaimed.

Phoebe nodded in agreement as she poured the milk into the pineapple for Prue. "Plus, Alec is gone and Daisy is on her way back to her family. And we even managed to straighten out our powers, thank god." She added.

Prue tilted her head to the side in surprise. "Thank god?" She repeated. "I thought you always wanted an active power." Prue pointed out.

"Maybe, but I never thought I'd actually be jealous of someone else having the premonitions and having your power was like wearing a dress that was too tight." Phoebe admitted. "Not that that would ever happen." Phoebe remarked for good measure.

"Well, remember when I laughed at you for orbing us to Arizona when you tried to orb me to work?" Prue asked, directing the question to Paige.

Paige blushed at the reminder. "Oh come on, I'd only had my orbing power for five months." She complained, having hoped to forget that particular incident.

Prue held her hands up in a sign of peace. "I was just going to say that I'll never mention it again." She assured hastily.

Phoebe broke into a fit of giggles. "Where'd you go, Prue?" Phoebe demanded eagerly.

"Which time?" Prue countered, purposefully keeping her answer cryptic to save herself from further embarrassment.

"While we're at it…" Paige started after nodding to Prue to show she had listened. "… I will never push you for a premonition ever again. They suck." She promised.

"Thank you." Phoebe appreciated. "I think we can all drink to that." She joked, passing Paige and Prue their pineapples, complete with cute umbrellas.

Prue sighed as she took the offered drink. "I don't know, Pheebs. We still have some serious problems."

"Problems, Prue, are for Monday mornings." Phoebe returned. "What do you say?" She pressed.

"It's going to be a hell of a Monday morning, but until then…" Prue allowed, clinking pineapple glasses with her sisters as answer enough.

Paige turned around and flipped some music on with the remote to the stereo. "Next time… I'm orbing us and maybe we'll actually make it." She laughed just before she, Prue, and Phoebe each took a sip of the drinks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to give everyone my brief promo for my finale which I will start writing as soon as possible. I wrote this in like ten minutes but I think it gives a fairly accurate representation of what's going to be covered.
> 
> One sister fights for her life. One makes a life changing decision. A third feels the sting of betrayal. The last must step up and work together with a friend to pick up the pieces. But relationships with each other are strained and one demon has found the way to kill a Charmed One. Which one will fall and will she be able to rise again? Or are the Charmed Ones really meant to be the Power of Three?
> 
> Alright, that's it this time. Please review or pm me. I'd love to hear what everyone thinks.


	43. To Break A Witch Part 1a

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay so I split this episode into two because it was getting too long. I say this is the first half but it's probably a little more than half. The next part will take a small step back, give some much needed explanation, and tie up the loose ends among a healthy amount of action. There are three warlocks that play an important part in this and I was too lazy to name. I listed out the names I called them and their powers that are used so that hopefully it won't be as confusing. Other than that I don't really having anything important to say except I hope you enjoy it at least a little and as soon as this is over, we'll be back to the main story line.
> 
> Warlock Leader; The leading warlock; etc: blinking, conjuration, pyrokinesis
> 
> The dark warlock; the first warlock: Tall, dark, dark brown/black hair, the warlock second… blinking, negation (ability to nullify the effects of most passive or mainly defensive powers ie: telepathy, orbing, sensing), telekinesis
> 
> The attractive warlock; Pale-eyed warlock; the third warlock; etc: nice features with light hair and eyes… energy balls, blinking

Bucklands Auction House

 

Prue glanced up from the huge stack of papers sitting on her desk to look over at the clock. '9:30,' she thought with frustration. Andy may have saved her from getting fired, but it didn't make all the work she'd neglected disappear. It had been a miracle that she had been able to keep from getting any further behind with all that had been going on. With a sigh of resignation, she reflexively reached for the phone to let her sisters know the situation. Prue dialed the number to the Manor and leaned back into her chair, allowing her tense body to relax in her short break.

Piper answered on the third ring. "Hello?" Her sister's voice called through the phone.

"Hey, Pipe. It, uh, doesn't look like you need to come pick me up for awhile," Prue explained, glancing again at the papers on her desk.

"How long do you think those papers are going to take?" Piper wondered as she shifted the phone to her shoulder and continued cleaning up the kitchen.

"Midnight maybe." Prue guessed with another sigh in her voice.

"Okay, but keep an eye on the weather. Severe storm is on its way." Piper warned.

Prue's eyes flickered to her window trying to judge the cloud coverage in the sky, but all the lights of the city made it impossible for her to determine. "Thanks, but I better go."

"Just call me when you're done." Piper ordered and Prue gave a slight nod in acknowledgement despite Piper being unable to see it.

The two sisters hung up and Prue, grumbling to herself, pulled the stack back toward her.

Outside, the wind began to pick up, lightning lit up the sky, and thunder boomed in the distance as the storm slowly approached San Francisco. Prue jumped as a particularly loud crash of thunder shook the building. She frowned at her paranoia and got to her feet where she slowly paced her office to give herself something else to do. The clock now read 12:30 and she knew the auction house was void of all other employees. There were only a few papers left to do; 15 minutes of work, maybe. She could do those tomorrow. Prue walked back to the phone and dialed the number to the Manor.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper ran down the stairs making her way to the conservatory where Phoebe and Paige were following the progress of the storm. "Has Prue called yet?" Piper demanded, coming to a halt in the doorway of the conservatory.

"No, but she better call soon. This storm is getting dangerous." Paige answered, her eyes flickering to look at Piper from where she lounged on the couch.

"Maybe we should call her; make sure she hasn't fallen asleep or something." Phoebe suggested as a clap of thunder shook the Manor causing the lights to flicker for a moment.

Paige shook her head in reply after glancing warily up at the lights. "If she's not done then she'll just get pissed and I don't think she could possibly sleep through this noise."

Paige argued, getting to her feet and opening a drawer that contained their hoard of flashlights. She picked up a bright blue one and tossed two others to Piper and Phoebe. "In case the power goes out." She explained to their puzzled expressions.

"Right, let's just wait a little bit longer before we call." Piper agreed just as there was another crash of thunder, a bolt of lightning and the lights and electronics of the Manor flickered and died.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige exchanged glances through the dark. "Uh, if the power's out the call won't come through." Phoebe pointed out slowly.

"Okay, I think Prue left her cell phone this morning. Pheebs, go check. Paige, come with me to the basement. We need to get the power back on." Piper ordered.

Immediately Phoebe bolted up the stairs for Prue's room while Piper and Paige headed for the basement.

~PO4~

Bucklands Auction House

"The number you have dialed has been disconnected. Please hang up and dial again."

Prue frowned at the message and hung up. "Maybe I dialed the wrong number." She thought, picking the phone back up and redialing. Instead of the familiar ring she received the same message. "Our number has not been disconnected." She snapped, slamming the phone down. Prue stood next to the window for a moment listening to the heavy rainfall outside and trying to decide what she should do. She had no car and the phone wasn't working. Paige! She remembered suddenly. She could just call for Paige and be orbed home. "Paige." Prue yelled through the silent building expecting to see her baby sister appear amidst orbs. She grew puzzled when nothing happened. "Paige?" Prue tried again.

Still nothing happened. Prue rolled her eyes at her luck and stomped over to her desk. "Fine. I'll just walk home." She muttered to herself. Prue grabbed her jacket, pulling it on and picked up her purse. It wasn't that far of a walk. In fact, if she left now, she'd be home well before 1:30. Prue stepped out under the balcony of the auction house and suddenly had second thoughts. It was so dark she could barely see, especially with the rain. The thunder and lightning were a lot more severe than she had originally thought and the rain was so intense, there were ankle-deep street rivers in the road. There wasn't a car in sight. Prue bit her lip, but tightened her grip on her jacket, pulling it tighter around her. She hastily pulled her hair up in an effort to keep it all under the hood of her jacket before stepping out into the rain. The rain immediately pelted down upon her, threatening to soak through her jacket. She had to tighten her grip on her jacket even more to keep the chilly wind from breaking through. Again Prue almost turned back, but again she stubbornly pushed forward. In but a few moments she was running down the street from building to building, fairly quickly closing the distance between her and the Manor. Prue didn't notice the three men waiting beside the next building until they stepped out in front of her, blocking her path. She halted about a hundred feet away. Her blood ran cold and  
somehow she doubted it was from the continuous rain.

"This the one?" One of the guys asked, stepping toward Prue. He was tall, dark, with dark brown or black hair. Prue narrowed her eyes, taking a few steps back as he stepped forward.

"Yep, that's her. Careful, she's a Charmed One." Another called from the shadows of the building. From his voice he appeared to be the leader.

"The Eldest Charmed One." The third warlock pointed out. "The boss is getting ambitious, isn't he?" He continued rhetorically as he stepped forward so that he was level with the first guy. He was attractive with nice features and light hair and eyes.

Prue suddenly found herself being shoved toward them from behind. She barely managed to keep her feet and turned on the newest arrival. She froze, immediately recognizing him… Rodriguez's partner, Inspector Anderson. He smirked, offering her a cool nod in greeting and Prue's eyes flashed with betrayal and anger. After all, she may not have been on the best terms with him for how he was treating Andy, but he was still supposed to be a cop. She couldn't dwell on it long as the third, and most attractive, warlock advanced while creating an energy ball in his right hand. Prue instantly let go of her jacket, freeing her hands, but it may have done more harm than good as the wind and rain penetrated  
the open jacket, soaking her with freezing rain water. Her hood fell back, revealing her face and hair which had previously been hidden. The warlock's eyes flickered over her eagerly and he advanced more quickly.  
"He wants her alive." The leader's voice warned.

"What would be the fun in killing her? She looks to be more fun alive." The third warlock retorted, his eyes never leaving Prue.

"Paige?" Prue called under her breath, nervously backing up. She didn't like the way this warlock in particular was looking at her.

"Don't bother calling the whitelighter half-breed. She can't hear you. Courtesy of my friend over there." The warlock stated maliciously, pointing back to the tall, dark, warlock

Prue's eyes flashed with fear and anger. "If you hurt my sisters…" She threatened but was cut off by the first warlock.

"I would be more concerned for yourself at the moment." He snapped, raising his hand threateningly as he prepared to use his own telekinetic power.

Prue didn't wait for them to make the next move. She waved her hand in a back hand motion and the tall, dark warlock flew back into the wall, his telekinetic blast hitting the side of an empty building across the street. She spun around to see the third warlock throw his energy ball at her. Prue threw her hands up in the form of a block and the energy ball changed directions back toward its owner, who was only able to side-step it just in time. Anderson was nowhere to be seen, but the leader had blinked behind Prue and tossed an athame at her back. She reflexively tried to jump to the side, but the knife grazed her side. Prue stumbled back off the sidewalk, landing in the street river. She tried to jump back  
up without hesitation despite the freezing water soaking her completely, but white-hot pain scorched her side from where the athame sliced through her skin. Before a moment had passed, the leader and the third warlock were on top of her, pinning her down while the warlock she had thrown was getting to his feet.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

"I've got Prue's cell!" Phoebe called, running back down the stairs.

Piper and Paige gave up trying to get the power back on and hurried up the stairs to meet Phoebe. "Go ahead and call her." Paige's voice drifted out of the kitchen just before Piper and Paige came into sight.

Phoebe was already dialing only for the voicemail to switch on. "It's after hours. It's going straight to voicemail." Phoebe explained, sliding the cell across the table in frustration.

Piper sighed and began to pace while Paige exchanged a glance with Phoebe. "Do you want me to orb there?" Paige suggested suddenly.

Piper cast her a look of disbelief while Phoebe's jaw dropped. "Of course! Why didn't we think about that before? Go!" Phoebe exclaimed dramatically, throwing her hands up at what should have been an obvious solution to their problem. Paige's eyes flickered over to a worried Piper, who gave her a slight nod in acceptance. The youngest Halliwell disappeared and reappeared moments later in Prue's empty office.

~PO4~

The Street

"Here. Blindfold her." The leader of the trio of warlocks ordered, tossing a heavy piece of cloth to the third warlock. Prue struggled vainly as the leader roughly pulled her arms behind her back. Hope flared when she caught sight of a car driving carefully down the road. The driver would surely see what was happening. They would stop and help her, but her hopes were crushed when the car just drove by as if it hadn't seen her. Then it occurred to her that maybe he couldn't see her. Prue's stomach twisted in dread as she realized how alone she was. Paige couldn't hear her, Piper didn't know to come, and even bystanders had no idea that she needed help. A wave of water crashed over her caused by the  
car as she felt the cold steel of Anderson's handcuffs close tightly around her wrists. In desperation, Prue narrowed her eyes at the attractive warlock just before the blindfold obscured her vision. She knew her act had been successful when she felt his weight off her. Prue didn't have long to think about that before the leader fought to gain control of her again. Prue kicked up, her knee connecting with the warlock's groin and successfully loosening his grip on her and stunning him for a moment. She twisted her fingers behind her and the handcuffs fell off her wrists with a clang as they hit the sidewalk. As the leader recovered, Prue waved her hand at Anderson and he fell into the leader, knocking them  
both away from her. She forced herself to her feet, clutching at the wound caused from the athame that had hit her. Her free hand tossed the dark warlock away from her as he advanced. Prue didn't waste any time bolting off down the street toward the Manor. Only the third warlock was between her and an open run. She deftly dodged his grabbing hands and, ignoring the pain in her side, took the side streets to the Manor.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper and Phoebe frowned as Paige orbed back in alone. From her face it was obvious something was wrong. "Prue's not there." She stated nervously.

"Do you think something has happened to her?" Piper demanded, grabbing Paige's hand.

"I don't think so. At least not while she had been in her office. Everything looks neat; her purse is gone so I think she left on her own." Paige reasoned to her sister while Phoebe's eyes narrowed. "However, I can't sense her and that's never a good sign…"

"Why can't you follow where she's at again?" Phoebe wondered, her eyes flickering to look at Piper.

In response, Piper just shrugged. "I don't know. The connection is really distant. Kind of like when Prue blocks me but… different." Piper tried to explain.

"Okay so we know she's not at work anymore. She has no car and no phone. Maybe she decided to walk or called a taxi or something." Phoebe suggested hopefully.

"Maybe she didn't. I think we should call Andy. See if he's seen her." Paige argued, unconvinced with Phoebe's suggestion. Her gaze shifted from Piper to Phoebe.

"She's going to kill us if we call him and she just decided to walk home." Phoebe pointed out.

Paige crossed her arms stubbornly. "She might have gone to him or asked him for a ride. Besides if something has happened, Andy might be able to help." Paige countered, her voice beginning to rise slightly.

"I agree. We should call Andy." Piper cut in hastily before the argument could escalate further. She snatched up the phone from the table and began to search his number in Prue's cell. Her eyes flickered to look at a disapproving Phoebe. "If Prue walks in, I'll take full blame." Piper promised as the waiting ring started up. Phoebe rolled her eyes and leaned against the table while Paige crowded around Piper in an attempt to hear.

~PO4~

The Street

Prue heard the footsteps pounding behind her filling her with dread as she realized they were gaining on her. She felt herself tiring and knew she wouldn't make it to the Manor without being intercepted. Prue glanced for a place to escape to, but all the buildings appeared dark and uninhabited. She turned a corner and a thought suddenly presented itself to her. Andy's apartment was just down the street. She hesitated going to him because the warlocks would be just behind her, not to mention Anderson was one of the cops giving Andy grief, but she remembered the look in the third warlock's pale eyes. She shuddered and dashed for Andy's apartment building, barely dodging another energy ball as it was  
thrown from behind her. She just hoped Rodriguez wouldn't find out and that she had left Anderson behind.

~PO4~

Andy's Apartment

Andy threw his jacket against the sofa as he shut his apartment door behind him. His movements were sharp with frustration caused by the agents from internal affairs. Rodriguez had once again called him in for an informal interrogation regarding his supernatural cases. The interrogation had lasted so long that he'd begun to think they weren't going to let him go at all. He grabbed a drink from his refrigerator in the kitchen and took a seat at the small table, trying to think of a way to get IA off his back while keeping Prue and her sisters safe. Andy looked up in surprise as his phone began to ring. It was one o'clock in the morning. Who would be calling at this hour? He ran a hand through his hair before  
getting up and heading back to the living room where Andy dug through his jacket pocket until he found his cell. Prue. He thought, reading the caller ID and wondering what she could possibly need this early in the morning. He was a little irked that she seemed to be ignoring his warning about them not having any contact. "Prue?" Andy answered the phone.

On the other end, Piper bit her lip slightly. If Andy thought Prue was calling then she must not be with him. "Uh, sorry. It's Piper." Piper corrected uncertainly.

Andy appeared puzzled by this change of circumstance. Piper didn't just call him, especially on Prue's phone at 1:00 in the morning and sounding worried. "Hey, Pipe. You okay?" He asked immediately.

"I am… I, well, Phoebe, Paige, and I were wondering if you had seen or heard from Prue." Piper replied causing Andy to frown.

He was silent for a moment as he realized what that meant. "No. Is she missing?" Andy demanded, gripping the edge of his couch a little harder as he already knew the forthcoming answer.

Piper didn't disappoint though she did attempt to downplay it some so as not to freak Andy out too much. "Well, I don't know about missing, but we can't get in touch with her." Piper tried to sound more confident then she felt. "We think she might have decided to walk home, but she hasn't shown up yet. We thought we'd ask you before looking for her." She added softly.

"When did you last see or hear from her?" Andy inquired, falling into his detective questioning.

"9:30. She said she would be done with work around midnight. Paige orbed over that at 12:45ish and Prue was already gone." Piper explained.

Andy rolled his eyes at the situation. It sounded so Prue-like. Only she would walk home through a hurricane at midnight after working late. If he hadn't been so worried he might have laughed. "Okay, you three stay at the Manor in case she walks in. Let me know if she does. I'll drive around and see if I can find her." Andy decided, hanging up on Piper before she could argue with him. Sometimes Piper could be nearly as stubborn and strong-willed as Prue. He pulled his jacket back on and made for his keys and ID.

~PO4~

The Street

"Hurry up and stop her!" The leader shouted from behind Prue.

She jumped to the side as another energy ball flew past her. She could see Andy's apartment building, giving her a renewed burst of energy. It was just a little bit further. Just before she reached the door to the stairs, she threw her hand out. A telekinetic blast pushed the door open, allowing her to enter unhindered. Prue paused, spinning around to shut the door and move a heavy cart in front of it as a distraction before running up the three flights of stairs. Apartment 1327. She thought, reading the numbers as she ran by them. Below she heard hurried footsteps racing up the stairs. Prue silently prayed Andy wasn't out on a date or something as she pounded desperately on his door. The leading  
warlock blinked behind her and grabbed her from behind. She slammed him back into the wall and broke free of his grip. Prue was back at the door, knocking weakly as the dizzying pain in her side finally overcame the adrenaline.

She glanced up in relief as the door opened and revealed a stunned Andy on the other side. She felt his strong arms wrap around her as she collapsed, keeping her from hitting the ground.

"Prue, what's wrong?" Andy demanded, his voice soft with worry. He saw the blood that stained her drenched clothes but couldn't pinpoint where she was hurt. Prue didn't say anything but spun around back to face the warlocks. Andy, still half-holding her, looked around trying to see what Prue was paying attention to. "There's nothing there." He stated and felt Prue relax ever-so-slightly. Her blue eyes scoured the area, but not one of them remained in sight. Before she could begin to ponder why they had left, Andy brought her around to face him. "Where are you hurt?" He asked again. Catching her breath, she still didn't say anything, but her eyes flickered down to where the athame had grazed her.

She pulled her hand away, revealing the blood that stained her hand. Andy's eyes had followed hers to land on her blood-soaked hand and without saying anything, he picked Prue up completely and kicked into his apartment while Prue gave into the welcoming darkness.

~PO4~

The Underworld

The pale-eyed warlock threw an energy ball at a lesser being in his frustration. His eyes gleamed as the being trembled and screamed in agony before exploding. The dark warlock and the leader exchanged an impatient glance at their friend's temper. All the warlocks were in the underworld getting ready to report to their boss, whom Inspector Anderson was informing of their arrival.

"Why did we leave? We could have killed the cop and caught her. She couldn't have fought us off again!" The pale-eyed attractive warlock ranted, turning blazing eyes on his partners now that there was no lesser being to keep his interest.

"The cop is needed alive for our master's plan to work. For now. We will have another chance to catch her. The cop can't protect her but his presence could have inspired her to fight harder and we couldn't afford an injury." The leader answered in a voice that clearly stated he'd explained this before. The pale-eyed warlock slammed his fist against the wall but otherwise said nothing.

The dark warlock took a step forward. "Boss was right. She was arrogant enough to try to get herself home." He remarked with an air of indifference.

"Doesn't do us any good if we can't catch her." The pale-eyed warlock shot back.

"We can find another witch to play with tonight. We'll get Prue Halliwell and her sisters and when we do, you can have her before we pass her over to the boss. Until then, we'll just have to make do with what we find." The dark warlock reasoned with his deeply disappointed partner. The pale-eyed warlock thought the offer over for a moment before nodding slightly in agreement.

The leader looked up as Anderson silently walked into the cavern where the warlocks waited. "He's ready." The leader stated without even waiting for Anderson to speak. He trudged forward, ready to report the incident. The dark and pale-eyed warlocks followed after.

~PO4~

Rodriguez leaned casually against the cavern wall while the trio of warlocks silently joined him. He didn't respond immediately and only the leading warlock seemed unperturbed by the silence as his two companions shifted and exchanged uncertain glances. "Did she do as I suspected?" Rodriguez finally asked.

The leading warlock offered the faintest of nods. "We intercepted her, I let her run just as you instructed, and we herded her to the cop's place with a few well-placed words. She did exactly as you said she would." He answered coolly.  
"  
You let her go? We weren't even supposed to catch her?" The third warlock yelled, forgetting his place in regards to Rodriguez.

"It would have been unconvincing if all of you were letting her escape. You would have unconsciously held your words back and she's smart. She would have realized it was all an act." Rodriguez replied in a surprisingly calm and forgiving tone despite the warlock's outburst.

The dark warlock smirked as the initial surprise wore off. "That's why we weren't allowed to blink in front of her and why we left. Brilliant." He laughed softly to himself.  
R  
odriguez nodded approvingly to the dark warlock. "And now she is separated from her sisters with a false idea of what really happened. It's time for the second act."

"And what would that be?" The third warlock snapped.

The leading warlock turned to face his two companions. "We fight the other three. Get them on edge and keep Prue Halliwell from joining up with them." He instructed.

The third warlock's eyes flashed. "We're going to let them go again?" He challenged in disbelief.

"If you have the chance to kill or capture one of them, then by all means take it, but we can't afford injuries. Not yet. Your job is just to scare them." Rodriguez trailed off thoughtfully. "If you have the chance, capture Phoebe Halliwell. Kill the other two… But only if you have the chance." He warned, his eyes flickering dangerously over to the third warlock, who looked marginally happier at the new instructions.

~PO4~

Andy's Apartment

"Prue." Andy called, gently shaking her in an effort to wake her up. Prue distantly heard her name through the fog that was her consciousness. She shut her eyes tighter so she wouldn't have to face whoever it was. She was sure she had been caught by the warlock. He had been right there. Andy, however, noted Prue's subtle movement and shook her a bit harder this time. "Prue." He repeated, his voice louder and more urgent. Prue resigned herself that she was going to have to face him and her eyes fluttered open. She looked momentarily confused to find Andy kneeling beside her and not the warlock. Prue reflexively moved to sit up, but Andy gently pushed her back down. "Do you remember what  
happened?" Andy asked, recognizing the confusion in her eyes.

"Mostly…" Prue mumbled, desperately trying to stop the dizziness so she could survey her surroundings. She eventually realized that she was lying on the couch in Andy's living room. She pushed Andy's hand away and stubbornly pulled herself into a sitting position. Most of the pain was gone from her side and it now felt more like an ache. She also noted that Andy must have stopped any bleeding while she had been out. Prue glanced up, feeling Andy's eyes following her movements. "What?" She wondered. She blushed a little as she suddenly felt self-conscious of her drenched clothes. She didn't even want to think about what her hair looked like.

Andy was silent a moment as he tried to decide which of the things bothering him was most important (all of which had nothing to do with her disheveled appearance). "I think you should go to the hospital. Get checked out." He finally suggested even though he knew she would argue against it.

As expected, Prue shook her head. "I can't explain how I got this to them…" Prue countered, pointing down at her side. "Besides, it doesn't hurt so much anymore. I'll be fine." She added in her typical stubbornness.

Andy had a calculating look on his face before he gave a slight nod. He stood up, grabbing Prue's hands and pulled her up beside him. Andy was satisfied when Prue didn't flinch.

"Okay, then you can go take a shower and warm up while I call your sisters and let them know I have you and you're safe." Andy ordered, pulling her along to his bathroom. He stopped by his bedroom and pulled out a sweater that she could put on.

She suddenly noticed how cold she was and so didn't protest as he pushed the sweater into her hands and steered her toward the bathroom door. Prue started into the bathroom but paused, turning back to face him. "You want to ask me something else." She stated. Andy had kept flashing glances toward her and there was a silent question in his eyes.

"Can you read my mind too?" Andy asked, half-joking.

Prue smiled and shook her head. "I don't need to be able to read minds to read your blatantly obvious expressions." Prue reminded him teasingly. "So what is it?"

"It can wait until you get out of the shower." Andy replied, seeing another shiver pass through her. Prue frowned slightly, but agreed, heading into the bathroom. Andy watched her disappear before grabbing his cell phone to call Piper.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige had no warning as the three warlocks blinked into the conservatory where the sisters had been waiting for some news from Andy. The warlocks wasted no time and the Manor was alight with energy balls. Paige managed to orb out as the first energy ball soared at her. It crashed into the shelf behind her, shattering the pictures as she rematerialized. The dark warlock advanced on Phoebe while the leader had grabbed Piper from behind.  
Phoebe grabbed a nearby lamp and swung hard at the dark warlock as he made it within reaching distance of her. He casually clenched his fist as it descended upon him and the lamp exploded, raining glass over Phoebe and causing minuscule cuts along her arms. With the adrenaline, she didn't notice and before he could throw a telekinetic blast at her, Phoebe blocked his arm and rolled it to the side. She followed with an elbow in his stomach and another punch that sent them both tumbling to the ground.

Piper managed to free her arm and flicked her wrist behind her, effectively freezing the leader. She sighed in relief as he froze and yanked her other arm from his grasp when the leader adjusted to the freeze and was suddenly knocking the surprised Piper back against the wall. "Go get Prue." Piper ordered, obviously to Paige as she was the only one with that ability.

"Energy ball." Paige yelled, sending the explosive bright blue power back at the attractive warlock. He nimbly caught it in his hand and sent it right back. The energy ball hit Paige square in the shoulder and she was thrown back. She instinctively orbed out just in time to avoid slamming into the wall. Instead she rematerialized sliding across the floor of the foyer. She vaguely heard Piper's order but had no sense of where Prue was. The attractive warlock started after her, but caught sight of his partner fighting with Phoebe. With thoughts of grandeur, he changed directions to help.

Piper flicked her wrists and the leader froze momentarily before adjusting through it again. Desperately, Piper continued to freeze him which gave her just enough time to dodge out of the way. "Phoebe!" She screamed as she saw her younger sister attempting to fend off the other two warlocks. Piper prepared to freeze them when the warlock leader was once again unfrozen and threw a small burst of flame at her from behind. She dropped to the ground and he pinned her arms down with one hand and pulled out an athame from nowhere, or so it appeared to the dazed Piper. There was a yelp of pain from Phoebe's direction and Prue's cell jingle rang loudly through the room. Through its faint light she  
could see Phoebe was no longer struggling and she shut her own eyes tight as the athame plunged down. Paige orbed in next to Piper at the last moment and kicked the athame from the leader's hand. He backhanded her and she lost her balance so that she hit the ground beside them. Piper dragged herself toward the athame and was able to retrieve it.

The leader blinked in front of her with a second athame, but Paige quickly recovered and rolled to Piper where she grabbed her older sister's arm. They orbed out, fully intending to reappear on the other side of the room to get Phoebe, but the warlock leader had other plans. He glanced meaningfully at the dark warlock who gave a slight nod. As the first orbs announced their reentrance, an energy shield expelled them from the house where they landed sprawled across the lawn. The leading warlock knelt down to pick up a nowunconscious Phoebe and blinked out. His two companions eagerly followed before the other two sisters could get any ideas.

~PO4~

Andy's Apartment

Thirty minutes passed during which Prue took her shower while Andy repeatedly called Prue's cell in order to get in touch with her sisters. After the fifth call and still no answer, he could not ignore the feeling that something was really wrong. He paced another few moments before walking back to his bathroom door. "Prue." Andy called, knocking on the wood and hoping Prue would get the underlying message for her to hurry up. Andy knew she had when he heard the water cut off. He went back to the kitchen where he sat down  
at the small table to wait for her.

"Is Piper going to kill me or something?" Prue asked as she dropped lightly into the seat across from him. She meant it mostly as a joke, but Andy didn't appear to have even heard her, much less found it funny. She played with the sleeves of Andy's sweater, waiting for him to say something.

Andy silently offered her a cup of coffee which Prue readily took. When he finally did speak, Prue was hardly surprised by his question. "What happened after you left Bucklands?"

Prue tilted her head to the side in a calculating manner as Andy stared at her, his eyes unreadable. She shrugged slightly, a little uncertain about why it seemed so important to him. "Uh, ran into a few warlocks, got into a fight, tried to escape, wasn't going to make it home without getting caught so I came here." She explained casually as if it was a perfectly normal experience. It wasn't so much that the encounter unfazed her as it was her way of dealing with her fear.

"You should be more careful. They could have killed you." He berated. His voice was stern but when Prue looked, his eyes betrayed his worry.

She immediately felt guilty. "I'm fine. They weren't going to kill me. They needed me alive." Prue confessed though she regretted it as she watched Andy's eyes darken.

He stood up hastily, nearly knocking his drink over in the process. "What did they want?" He demanded. Prue was silent, surprised by Andy's forceful question and uncertain how to phrase the little she knew. Andy seemed to notice as he leaned against the table toward her and lowered his voice though it didn't lose any of its significance. "Did they say what they wanted? Give any clues? The way they spoke to you?" He tried for the information he needed to know. There was something very wrong with the entire situation. He just knew it.

Prue stiffened in her seat. She really didn't want to get into the creepy warlock with her ex-boyfriend and always best friend. "I don't know. I didn't wait around long enough to ask, but if I had to guess, being 'charmed' is enough of a reason for any warlock to go out of their way to attack me." She rambled, frowning at the newest situation. "Sometimes being a witch sucks." She added half-cheekily but also half-serious.

"I can imagine." Andy agreed with a half-smile that quickly disappeared in thought.

"Are you going to explain to me why you're so interested all of a sudden?" Prue asked casually when it didn't appear that he was going to continue the conversation.

Andy's eyes flickered back over to her. "I think I'm allowed to be… interested… when you show up on my doorstep the way you did." He pointed out.

"That's not what I meant." Prue argued to which Andy crossed him arms in a silent prompting for her to continue. "You've got that look. The one where you think you've figured something out but there's more to it. You know the one I'm talking about." She explained.

"I never could get anything past you." He sighed, turning away from her again. "I'm not sure about anything yet."

Prue stared at him for another moment before deciding to allow him to drop the subject. She played with her coffee stirrer, replaying what had happened and what easily could have happened. It was then she remembered Inspector Anderson and that she shouldn't be here at all. Her gaze landed on Andy and she tapped the table nervously. Finally, she made her decision and stood up quickly. Andy watched her curiously as the phone on the counter flew from its place to land in Prue's hand. She was already dialing the number for the Manor when Andy realized what she was doing. He closed the distance between them in two steps and placed his hand on top of hers, effectively blocking her view. She sighed and pulled away from his touch so that she left the phone behind. "I need to go home. I shouldn't be here." She stated to his puzzled expression.

"Prue, in case you didn't notice earlier, there's a storm outside, it dangerous to drive, and there's no way in hell that I'm going to let you walk home after what happened. You're better off staying here." Andy argued firmly.

"No, Andy, you don't understand. It wasn't just warlocks that attacked me tonight." She retorted. Andy narrowed his eyes to which Prue was forced to elaborate on her statement.

She looked down at her wrists where there was already some faint bruising from the handcuffs. "Inspector Anderson was there too." Prue whispered, holding her hand up for Andy to see as if to prove what she had just said.

Andy's eyes widened slightly as he took her hands in his and lightly ran his fingers over the bruising. "Anderson?" He repeated, his voice low with barely restrained anger at the thought of him hurting Prue in any way. "That bastard's working with them?" Andy asked rhetorically.

Prue didn't seem to hear him. "Oh god, Andy. I didn't even think that much about him. I-I just wanted to get away. I'm sorry." Prue rambled, clearly upset as she thought about the attack. She shivered and refused to meet his eyes.

Andy sighed, forced away the thoughts of Anderson, and gently pulled her against his chest and stroked her hair in the way that he always found calmed her down. "Hey, if he's working with them then he obviously knows about you and your sisters. We wouldn't have been fooling him at all." He soothed. He was careful to keep the worry out of his voice at the new revelation that cleared up one of the pieces of this night's puzzle. "Prue, you said they were going to catch you so you came here. They must have followed you but there wasn't anyone out there with you…" Andy prompted slowly.

"They disappeared when you opened the door. Blinked out, I think." Prue answered, her voice muffled by the way he was holding her against him.

"Why would they leave? It's not like I would have been able to stop them." He pointed out.

"I… don't know." Prue admitted after a moment of silence.

Andy shifted her so that he could see her face. "Blinked out? What is that?" He asked.

"It's kind of like a form of teleportation." She replied thoughtfully.

Andy's frown deepened. "So, in theory, shouldn't they have been able to 'blink' in front of you and stop you that way?" Andy questioned.

Prue hesitated as she realized the direction he was heading with his questioning. "They let me get away…" She stated to which Andy gave the slightest of nods, his face creased in thought. "…And they left as soon as you opened the door. They wanted me to stay here?" Prue continued, her last statement turning into a question.

"You know these guys better than I do. What would they gain by having you here?" Andy inquired seriously.

"Well, my sisters aren't here with me." Prue offered.

Andy shook his head slowly in disagreement. "More like you're not with your sisters." He argued. He let her go but intertwined his fingers with hers. "We need to get back to your house…" Prue paled slightly at the insinuation but nodded determinedly in agreement.

~PO4~

The Underworld

The warlock leader lay an unconscious Phoebe down on a faintly lit altar before offering Rodriguez a cool nod in greeting. His two companions waited outside the cavern with Anderson so that it was just the two of them. "Phoebe Halliwell as requested. The other two we were unable to kill but we successfully caught them off guard." He reported stoically.

Rodriguez nodded as he let his hand hover over Phoebe. His eyes turned the disturbing blood-red and an ear-splitting screech sounded from him that sent the warlock to his knees. His hand shook but after a moment, the sound subsided and he relaxed as Phoebe opened her eyes. She didn't move, just remained motionless on the altar. In fact, Phoebe didn't even blink. "Perfect." Rodriguez stated slowly. Rodriguez turned his attention back to the warlock, his eyes now a dark almost black color. "Use your second to make sure they don't meet up with Prue. You will teach her…" He pointed down at the motionless Phoebe. "… what I wish her to do. The cop will come back up with me. We must keep  
up appearances." Rodriguez ordered.

"With all due respect, it will be difficult to keep the three remaining sisters apart for long. They're bound to find each other." The warlock leader pointed out casually as he pushed himself back to his feet.

Rodriguez gave a slight nod of acknowledgement. "They only need to be separated until I'm ready." He replied cryptically.

The warlock's eyes narrowed. "And how long will that be?" He demanded.

"As long as I need." Rodriguez retorted, his patience running thin. He took several intimidating steps toward his warlock minion. "Remind your second the punishment of failure and remember that you are not free from his faults." Rodriguez then waved his hand sharply in a sign of dismissal. The warlock turned and swiftly left into the adjoining cavern to give out the orders. Rodriguez paced around Phoebe, a smirk firmly in place. "Now Phoebe, do you know the two ways to kill a witch?" His hand pushed a strand of her brown hair away from her face. There was no response from Phoebe. "It's ironic really that you will be the one to destroy the Charmed Ones permanently." He laughed at some inside joke of his. "What do you see?" Rodriguez finally questioned.

~Premonition~

Prue jumped over a short side table to avoid an energy ball that passed where she had been standing the moment before. She hit the ground hard but managed to throw her hand out and move a second energy ball to the side. "Where are my sisters and Andy?" She demanded as she regained her feet.

Rodriguez took a confident step forward. "Out of the way." He stated. Prue attempted to dodge around him for the door. She almost made it when Rodriguez used his sonic scream against her. Prue dropped as the apartment seemingly shook beneath her and the high-pitched scream paralyzed her. He advanced until she narrowed her eyes in pure defiance.

Rodriguez stumbled and looked at Prue, surprise written on his face. He flew back and burst into flames before he even hit the wall.

~End of Premonition~

Rodriguez listened to Phoebe's emotionless account of her premonition eagerly. He didn't even bat an eye when his premonition self was defeated though he was surprised that an alone and cornered Prue was still enough to vanquish him. However, knowing the future and changing one little thing could turn the tides. He obviously needed more help although he would never admit it out loud. Fighting her on his terms and with the warlocks should be enough. His gaze shifted over Phoebe and Rodriguez smiled. It was one of his more brilliant ideas to use her premonitions against her sisters if he said so himself. The only question now was how to get Prue in the underworld… Rodriguez sauntered out to the  
adjoining cavern where the warlocks were still getting ready. He waved over the pale-eyed warlock with a new task to assign him before Rodriguez would to return to the surface.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Piper groaned and slowly pushed herself to her feet and then turned to help pull Paige to her feet. "Are you okay?" She asked hurriedly. She tightened her hold on Paige when her youngest sister stumbled.

"Not sure yet." Paige grumbled but in such a way that she showed she was indeed okay. She shivered as the cold rain soaked through her clothing and she strained to get a look at Piper to make sure she was okay. "You?" She finally questioned when she couldn't determine anything through the past midnight darkness.

Piper didn't answer but dashed for the Manor, dragging Paige behind her. "Phoebe." She reminded over her shoulder. She expected to find the door magically barred or to at least have some resistance into the house but the door swung open with barely a push. The inside was dark and silent. It seemed much more ominous than it had when Piper, Phoebe, and Paige had been together.  
"  
Flashlight." Paige called in a whisper. Orbs deposited one of their flashlights in Paige's hand and she flicked the switch, illuminating the foyer with their faint light. Her other hand held tightly onto Piper and they both took wary steps back to the conservatory where the fight had taken place. They both gasped at the destruction of their sitting room. "Oh god, do you see Phoebe?" Paige asked, allowing the light to pass over the room.

"No." Piper sighed. "They must have taken her. We need to get to Prue, get a plan, and get Phoebe back." She decided, mostly mumbling to herself.

"Uh, yeah, there's a problem with that. I can't sense Prue anymore than you can. Do you think they captured her too?" Paige wondered. "That would explain why we can't seem to find her."

Piper didn't answer immediately as her gaze shifted over the room. A glimmer on the floor caught her eye and she kneeled down to pick up the curious object. She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully before slipping it into her pocket to worry about later. "If they have two of us we're screwed." She stated harshly.

"We can't start thinking like that." Paige countered impatiently.

Piper narrowed her eyes at Paige. "Fine. We need to get in touch with Andy. See if he's heard anything of Prue." She suggested.

Paige rolled her eyes dramatically as she pointed to Prue's cell… or what was left of it. "Prue's gonna kill us." She remarked. "Do you have any better ideas?" Paige asked, crossing her arms across her chest and leaning back against the wall.

"The Book of Shadows." Piper replied almost instantly while heading for the stairs.

Paige stalked after her. "And how is it going to help? We can't ever find anything in that book when we need it." She pointed out. She stopped in the doorway of the attic while Piper went straight to the book.

"There has to be something in it about finding Prue or Phoebe. Something is blocking us. If we know what it is then maybe we can find a way around it." Piper explained.

"That's… not a bad idea." Paige admitted. She listened to the rapid flipping of the pages until she heard Piper cry out in surprise. The pages of the book began flipping of their own accord.

"Paige, light. I need light." Piper ordered, waving her hand enthusiastically to which Paige ran forward and pointed the flashlight directly on the page where the book had stopped.

"A teleportation spell… to the underworld." She read in surprise.

Paige narrowed her eyes in thought. "Why would we need that when I can orb?"

"Maybe they're down there and this spell will take us to them." Piper suggested with a slight shrug.

"Sounds sketchy to me." Paige argued.

Piper sighed and closed the book only for it to flip open again to the same page. "I don't think this is going to help us…" She mumbled with a glance at Paige. "We'd need more than just a spell to save Prue and Phoebe. Besides, we don't even know if Prue has been captured." Piper elaborated thoughtfully.

"Yeah. We should at least check with Andy to see if he's heard from Prue first. If not, then we just need to find a safe place to think this out." Paige agreed.

Piper opened her mouth to say something when they heard a crash from downstairs. They both fell completely silent as they heard the echoes of soft footsteps coming up the stairs. "Paige, orb us out." Piper ordered, taking Paige's hand.

Paige wasted no time in obeying and the two disappeared among blue and white lights. The dark warlock stepped away from one of the corners of the attic and waved his hand at the orbs. He smiled faintly as they faded away and he was left in the Halliwell Manor. He stepped toward the Book of Shadows and reached for it. A white shield surrounded it and it shot off the pedestal away from the warlock. His smile fell as it seemed his power of neutralization did nothing to negate the power of the book. It could essentially block sensing and even render Prue's telepathic connect with Piper useless but had no effect on the Book of Shadows. The warlock flicked his fingers and the book popped back open to the  
teleportation spell. "Ad Exponentia." He whispered under his breath. He reached out again and the book shot away from him again. He shrugged as he had done what he'd come to do and blinked out.

~PO4~

Piper and Paige orbed into a snow covered forest, much to their surprise. "Paige, where in hell did you orb us?" Piper demanded in shock.

"Um, I'm pretty sure not anywhere in hell…" Paige offered in an attempt at a joke.

"Oh really? Are we even in California anymore?" Piper asked, hands on hips and an accusatory look in her brown eyes as they settled on the youngest sister.

Paige stared around her in silence. "Something really weird is going on…"

"Okay, but can we figure that out after we find Andy? Which by the way, I doubt he's here…" Piper glanced around at the scenery. "…Wherever here is." She added in a grumble.

"I'm trying, Piper. I didn't orb us here on purpose." Paige snapped, taking Piper's hand again. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Andy's apartment but nothing happened.

Piper shivered next to Paige in the freezing air. "Paige, I'm pretty sure the ends of my hair are ice. Can you hurry up?" She prompted.

"It's not working…" Paige whispered, her hand tightening around Piper's as a particularly strong gust of wind swept against them.

The Halliwell Manor

Prue jumped out of the car before Andy had even put it into park, forcing him to slam the brakes on. By the time he ripped his keys out of the ignition Prue was already dashing up the steps toward the open front door. "Prue, wait!" He called after her. She paused reluctantly at the front door until Andy had joined her. Andy looked through the door and into the dark house. He suddenly wished he still had his gun even if it didn't do much good against demons. Prue didn't wait a second longer and Andy was once again forced to follow her over the threshold. "We shouldn't just go walking in." He muttered under his breath to her.

Prue ignored his comment. "Piper! Phoebe! Paige!" Prue yelled until Andy grabbed her and placed a hand over her mouth.

"Just tell everyone we're here why don't you." He growled.

Prue pushed his hand away from her. "Well, it gets them to come out faster. I don't do the sneaking thing." She argued.

Andy, however, wasn't listening to her anymore but to the house which was eerily silent despite Prue's announcing their presence. "They're not here, Prue." Andy stated gently.

"They're probably in the attic. They have to be here." Prue whispered stubbornly. She could tell Andy wasn't too hopeful and if she was honest, she wasn't either. That didn't matter though. Prue took the stairs two at a time while Andy followed, looking behind them warily. Prue's little hope was dashed when she walked into a very empty attic.

"There might be some evidence downstairs to tell us what happened and where they might be." Andy offered as he saw the concerned look that crossed Prue's features.

Prue nodded and started to let him pull her toward the door when she noticed the Book of Shadows on the ground. "The Book of Shadows…" She mumbled, pulling away from Andy and walking toward it. She kneeled down and picked it up while casting a glance at Andy. Despite the dark, she could tell he was a little confused as to what was so important all of a sudden. "It's on the floor. We never leave it on the floor." Prue explained distantly.  
"  
So…" Andy pressed.

"So the only time it's ever been on the floor was when the shape shifting neighbors tried to steal it. The book protects itself from evil. They can't touch it." Prue elaborated. "Or so I think… Anyways, the point is someone tried to take the book."

Andy shook his head slightly, still a hint of confusion in his eyes. "Wait, back to the shape shifting neighbors. When was that?" He asked.

Prue looked up at him impatiently. "Andy, focus. The shape shifting neighbors are not important right now." She snapped though there was almost a tease in her voice.

Andy rolled his eyes and looked back at the book. "Fine but it could also mean that your sisters just left in a hurry and didn't have time to put it back up." Andy pointed out casually.

"I don't think it should stay here." Prue decided, ignoring Andy again.

"Okay." Andy sighed, starting for the door. "Bring it along while I try to figure out what happened to your sisters." He allowed, leading the way down the stairs.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Prue asked. There didn't appear to be anything strange about the Foyer.

Andy shrugged slightly. "For signs of a struggle, something out of place… etc." He listed, leaving out the 'dead bodies' part. Prue probably wouldn't have handled that well and he himself was in denial of that possibility. He headed for the dining room and kitchen area while Prue went in the other direction.

Prue froze in the doorway of the conservatory, her eyes scanning over the mess. "Andy…" His name came out little more than a whisper in her shock.

Andy paused and glanced back at her before hurrying to her side. "What is…?" He trailed off when he saw what had her so worried. His eyes flickered back to her to find she had her head in her hands, refusing to look. Andy led her carefully to a chair and sat her down in it, nearly tripping over something in the process. He looked down and saw a flashligh that he picked up and turned on. He quickly but carefully scanned over the room with the beam of light and sighed in relief at no sign of any bodies. "Stay here." He ordered Prue, who made no indication of having heard him before he went through the whole conservatory, just to make sure. There were broken lamps, turned over tables, what looked to have been a picture frame at one time, glass everywhere, a little blood, but no bodies. "Prue, there's no one here." He finally assured her.

"You sure?" Prue asked, almost pleadingly.

"There was a hell of a fight here, but there's not near enough blood for anyone to have been hurt too bad." Andy insisted. "Paige probably did that sparkle thing that she does and got Piper and Phoebe out."

Prue smirked faintly despite the situation. "Orbing. She probably 'orbed.'" She corrected.

"That's what I said." Andy retorted, holding back the smile that would show he knew he was wrong.

"No you didn't. You said 'sparkle thing…'" Prue argued, crossing her arms determinedly.

"Anyways…" Andy interrupted, crossing the short distance between them. "…. We shouldn't stay here any longer in case they come back. We can come up with something at my place." He decided.

Prue sighed but got back to her feet and gave her conservatory another scan over. She could feel Andy's eyes watching her. "They're okay… They have to be." Prue stated, obviously speaking of her sisters. The book in her arms suddenly popped open and flipped to the Vanishing Spell. Prue didn't even take the time to think about whether to do it or not.

"Let the object of objection  
Become but a dream  
As I cause the seen  
To be unseen."

She and Andy watched in surprise as the conservatory was magically returned to normal amongst glowing white lights. She closed and tightened her arms around the Book of Shadows, took a deep breath, and walked out of the Manor as if she was heading for battle. Andy followed a little more slowly, taking the time to look over the newly fixed conservatory with a thoughtful expression. It looked exactly as it always had. He pulled himself away and took the time to lock the door behind him as he left. "Would you oppose a stop by the store?" Andy inquired as he slid into the driver's seat in time to see Prue yawn.

"Why?" She returned.

"We're going to need more coffee." Andy replied. Prue glared at him and Andy smirked. "I will take that as a 'you better have coffee' look." He announced, turning on the ignition.

The clock read 2:30 in the morning. Had it really only been a little more than an hour since Piper had called him? So much had happened. Andy ran a frustrated hand through his hair. It was going to be a very long night.


	44. To Break A Witch Part 1b

Out in the middle of nowhere…

"Alright, this is getting ridiculous." Piper exclaimed, wrapping her arms tightly around herself as if it would help keep her warm. Neither sister had jackets as that had not been what they were thinking about when they left the house. Not to mention they hadn't expected to end up in a deserted, snow-friendly environment.

Paige crossed her arms sharply and stomped over next to Piper, finally giving up trying to orb anywhere. "You're telling me. At this rate we're gonna freeze to death."

"Remember when I said we were totally screwed if they caught Phoebe and Prue?" Piper asked. Paige grunted an affirmative. "Well, I lied, now we're totally screwed." She admitted.

"You think Leo would be able to hear us?" Paige mused suddenly.

Piper glanced at her in confusion. "Don't know but we had better come up with something and quick." She mumbled.

"LEO!" Paige yelled to the sky. "We need some whitelighter assistance." She added for good measure.

Piper covered her ears with her hands as Paige screamed right next to her. "Stop that." She snapped and Paige fell silent but had a cheeky grin on her face. "If you can't orb than I doubt he'll be able to. Our best bet is trying to figure out what's behind this weird…" Piper trailed off for lack of an accurate explanation and settled for just waving her hands around.

Paige sighed in agreement. "We know we're being blocked by magic and that Phoebe was taken for some reason by the evil side." She offered.

"…And that Prue may or may not have been caught but is certainly being blocked in the same way. Sounds to me like they're going through great efforts to keep us separated." Piper continued thoughtfully.

"I think the question then is who did we piss off this time." Paige commented.

Piper absently slipped her hands into her jean pockets to feel the hard object that had been left behind during the attack on their house. She had been certain it belonged to the attackers but had nearly forgotten about it. She pulled it out curiously and took it in for the first time. "I think I know who…" Piper whispered as she stared down at the object in her hands.

"Cops…?" Paige asked in disbelief. "Piper, I really don't…"

"Prue was talking about those two that wouldn't leave Andy alone about his supernatural cases. Do you really think this is a coincidence?" Piper interrupted.

Paige didn't respond immediately but took the police mark from Piper. "There are no coincidences." Paige quoted one of their witchy lessons. "… but did they mean to leave it behind?" Piper's smile faded at the question. They had no proof and it really didn't help them anyway.

~PO4~

Andy's Apartment

Andy returned from his kitchen area with two hot cups of coffee. He smiled when he saw Prue slumped against the couch and absently flipping the pages of the Book of Shadows. She had been that way since they had gotten back from the Manor, but now it was more apparent how exhausted she was. Every flip of a page seemed to take more and more work. Andy sat down at the other end of the couch. Prue shifted around so that she was leaning more against Andy than the couch and took one of the cups.

"Why don't you go to sleep for a couple of hours?" Andy suggested as he reluctantly let her have her third cup of coffee.

Prue took a sip before replying, "Can't."

He sighed and took the Book of Shadows from her. "You can hardly read the pages, much less come up with a plan." Andy argued lightly.

"It's the principle of the thing." Prue countered. "My sisters have been taken by some crazy people. I can't just do nothing." She added.

Andy rolled his eyes. "I didn't say 'do nothing.' I told you to sleep while I work on a plan."

"How come you're not tired?" Prue demanded suspiciously.

Andy looked up at her and couldn't suppress a chuckle at the look she was giving him. "I promise I didn't put a sleeping potion in your coffee." He joked but answered seriously when Prue didn't let up. "It wasn't too long ago that I had to work the night shift often." He pointed out.

Prue sighed loudly and crossed her arms across her chest. "I guess not." There was pause during which Andy focused on the book that was becoming increasingly familiar. "Have I mentioned that I'm sorry?" She asked suddenly.

Andy sent her a look of impatience. "We've been through this before. Quit blaming yourself for the things that are not your fault." Andy berated.

"Can't help it." Prue mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Yes, I know. That's why I put up with it." Andy remarked. Prue didn't reply so Andy glanced in her direction. He frowned slightly as she played with her hands. "Are you okay?"

Prue shifted positions again. "Sore." She whispered.

"I'll go get you some Advil." Andy offered, passing the Book of Shadows back to her. He left back into the kitchen and came back a moment later with the bottled of said medication. "It's not bleeding again, is it?" Andy questioned in worry as Prue swallowed a pill or two.

Prue shook her head. "No. It just hurts." She assured him.

"Next time I see him, I'll be sure to give Anderson a punch for you." He promised, successfully earning a smile from Prue.

"Thanks." Prue appreciated.

Andy returned the smile. "You're welcome." Their conversation died when Prue looked up and their eyes met. Andy slowly leaned forward, giving Prue plenty of time to pull away if she wanted. However, Prue remained where she was and their lips met in a slow, soft kiss. They pulled apart after a long moment; both slightly breathless and Prue lightly flushed. "Uh, sorry." Andy apologized as he watched Prue look away again.

She ran a hand through her hair while shaking her head quickly. "No, it's just…" Prue trailed off as the Book of Shadows began flipping of its own accord.

"Anything helpful?" Andy jumped at the change of subject. He nodded in the direction of the book.

Prue's eyes scanned over the pages before she slammed the book closed in frustration. "No. It's that stupid teleportation spell to the underworld again." She groaned. As soon as she took her hand off the book it flipped back to the spell. "I think I'm just gonna have to cast it. It won't go away."

"You can just forget it, Prue." Andy retorted, taking the book from her again.

"The book's never led us wrong before." She argued half-heartedly.

"It wants you in the underworld way too badly and you're exhausted. You'd be of no help to your sisters if you went and got caught." Andy returned. Prue narrowed her eyes in frustration. "Besides, we have no proof that any of your sisters are down there. I have no idea how you four kept yourselves alive without my help." He added for good measure and throwing a joke at the end to lighten the mood.

Prue's gaze flickered over to the phone after casting Andy a glare. "They haven't called." She pointed out.

"Prue, they're fine." Andy insisted confidently.

"How can you be so sure?" Prue wondered softly.

Andy looked thoughtful for a moment. "The same reason you know they're fine." He finally replied. Prue nodded slowly but anything she was going to say was interrupted by a yawn. "That's it. You need to sleep." Andy ordered, standing and pulling Prue carefully to her feet behind him. He steered her toward his bedroom. "I'll take the couch."

Prue hesitated at the door. "Are you sure? I can take the couch…" She offered.

"No arguing. Go." Andy pushed with a half-smile at her.

Prue shrugged and started through the door. "Don't let me sleep late." She warned before disappearing inside.

Andy turned back to the couch to make himself comfortable for what was left of the night. He had just gotten settled when his home phone began to ring. He ignored it until the answering machine clicked on. "Andy, its Darryl. Answer."

Andy frowned and reached for the phone on the side table. "Yeah, Morris?" Andy answered.

"I.A.'s gonna call you soon for another interrogation. Prue's name came up as well but I couldn't get why." Darryl's voice drifted urgently through the phone.

Andy's gaze shifted to his bedroom door, his brow creased with worry. "Thanks for the heads up…"

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

True to the warning, Andy only had to wait until six thirty in the morning for Rodriguez to set up an interrogation at seven o'clock and order him in. Prue had still been asleep so he wrote her a note and left it on the Book of Shadows which she was certain to look at once she awoke. He waited in the room for several minutes, acutely aware of how quiet it was, before Darryl joined him. "Seen Rodriguez yet?" Andy asked in order to break the silence.

"He's got a trick up his sleeve. Practically skipped inside." Darryl muttered harshly. He stood across from Andy and watched the door for any sign of Rodriguez. Andy expected exactly that. Rodriguez had to have some motive behind these interrogations and Andy was beginning to doubt he knew that reason. Thoughts of Prue flitted through his mind. He shouldn't have left her, not for this. "Darryl, I want you to go help Prue. She's at my place." Andy remarked suddenly.

Confusion crossed Darryl's features. "I thought you two were supposed to be lying low." Darryl stated.

"She was attacked last night and her sisters are missing. Don't ask questions. Just please make sure nothing happens to her." Andy insisted shortly.

Before Darryl could begin to answer, Rodriguez stormed into the room with Anderson close behind. Rodriguez paused when he saw Darryl. "What are you doing here, Morris?" He demanded.

Darryl glared at the two Internal Affairs officers. "Backing my partner, Rodriguez. Is it an inconvenience to you?" Darryl retorted sarcastically. Andy couldn't hide his smirk though it was easily overshadowed by the look he was sending at Anderson.

"This is between me and him." Rodriguez returned. "Anderson, escort Mr. Morris outside." He ordered.

A look passed between Rodriguez and Anderson while Darryl glanced at Andy, obviously reluctant to leave his partner alone with the other officer. "Its okay, Darryl." Andy allowed.

Darryl gave the faintest of nods before walking out the door with Anderson trailing behind him. Anderson shut the door, leaving Andy and Rodriguez in the room. Andy made a show of resting his feet comfortably on the table and leaning back slightly in his chair. "For the record, I'm not saying anything without my lawyer present." He announced.

"What makes you think you need a lawyer?" Rodriguez inquired.

"Gut feeling." Andy replied shortly.

Rodriguez nodded in approval. "That's what makes a cop, but in your case there's something more." He commented, taking a seat on the other side of the table. Andy cast him a narrow-eyed stare at Rodriguez's last comment. Rodriguez paused, shifting through a folder in his hand. "But you don't need a lawyer." He finished cryptically. There was more silence to which Andy was getting increasingly frustrated with but refused to be the one to break it. Rodriguez eventually spoke up again. "You must care about her very much to give up your career for her. It's very noble…" Rodriguez smiled tauntingly at Andy, who tensed ever-so-slightly in his seat. "Prue Halliwell…" He flipped a picture onto the table for  
Andy to see. One of Prue. "…you've been covering for."

Andy refused to respond to the picture. "What do you want?" He inquired, carefully stoic.

"Tell me, Trudeau. How is she feeling this morning? Up to casting the spell to the underworld, I hope." Rodriguez continued, indirectly answering Andy's question.

Andy narrowed his eyes in realization but didn't appear at all surprised. "She won't cast it." Andy stated.

Rodriguez smirked and leaned across the table toward Andy. "Without you to stop her… I believe she will. If she believes her sisters are down there." He argued lightly.

Andy fell silent, unable to deny it. If she thought her sisters were down there, she'd cast it in a heartbeat. He just hoped Darryl would be able to keep some sense in her. "But you don't have them, do you?" Andy questioned, referring to her sisters. He figured it would do them the most good to find out everything he could about Rodriguez's plan.

"That's not your concern." Rodriguez countered.

"She's going to see through that." Andy insisted with confidence, betting that he didn't.

"Except I do have a sister and she has no way of finding the other two." Rodriguez's smile widened as he let Andy take in that bit of information. "She's alone and as soon as she realizes that you're not going to be there, she'll be desperate." Rodriguez went on.

Andy stood up, surprisingly calm despite facing a demon that was probably going to kill him any minute. "Anderson doesn't know what he's doing. You're the one behind the attacks." Andy guessed as Rodriguez stood to his feet.

"He's a tool. Just as you are." Rodriguez turned away casually to head for the door. "Do you know how to kill a witch, Trudeau?" Andy didn't reply as Rodriguez glanced back over his shoulder. "You have to break them." Rodriguez's eyes shifted to the blood red color and he tapped into his sonic scream. Glass shattered and his scream continued until Andy dropped to the ground and didn't move. Rodriguez locked the door and didn't look back as he closed it behind him.

~PO4~

Andy's Apartment

Prue woke up to the sun on her face, causing her to groan softly and roll over to look at the clock. She sighed and forced herself out of the bed with thoughts of her sisters.

"Andy?" She called, wondering if he was awake yet. With no answer forthcoming she pulled her clothes from last night on and stumbled to the living room/ kitchen area. "Andy?"

Prue repeated when she saw the empty couch where he had obviously been. She glanced toward the bathroom but heard no sound from there either. Her hands rested on her hips as she scoured the area before going to the couch where she dropped unceremoniously into the seat. Prue reached for the Book of Shadows but hesitated when she saw the slip of paper on top of it. Prue snatched it up and quickly read over it. The sleepy look disappeared from her face as her eyes narrowed in concern. She instinctively reached for the phone to call him. If he didn't answer she could always call Darryl's number and if she had to she would call the stationhouse to get in touch with him. It didn't really matter if she  
called him now as the officers that they were laying low on already knew about them. Prue dialed Andy's cell but it went straight to voice mail. She could hardly be surprised as he was in interrogation. However, when Darryl and the stationhouse didn't answer, she began to worry all the more. "Okay, Prue, calm down. They're probably busy so just try again in thirty minutes…" She told herself. After nodding determinedly, she passed the time trying to scry and casting summoning spells while the Book of Shadows made it difficult by insistently flipping to the teleportation spell. Prue called all three again and then a third time at an hour only for her to still receive no news of Andy. To be frank, Prue was really beginning to panic. She dropped her head in her hands but jumped up from the couch when the front door burst open. The door slammed into the wall and Rodriguez sauntered inside the apartment, looking rather smug. "You…" Prue accused. Rodriguez didn't reply but formed an energy ball in his hand and tossed it at Prue. She had to jump over the side table to dodge the power and threw her hand up as another energy ball flew at her. It deviated to the side and hit the wall, leaving behind a black scorch mark. "Where are Andy and my sisters?" Prue demanded, pushing herself to her feet and glaring dangerously at Rodriguez.

"Out of the way." Rodriguez answered shortly. His gaze flickered inconspicuously to the Book of Shadows. He smirked as he saw the teleportation spell open. Before Prue had even had time to come up with a response, Rodriguez ran forward. He threw Prue against the table. Prue landed hard on the floor with a yelp of pain. She placed her hands over her ears as Rodriguez used his sonic scream against her. Glass all around the apartment shattered  
and she found herself seemingly paralyzed by the sound. Her head spun and she desperately narrowed her eyes at Rodriguez, sending a blast of telekinesis straight at him. It didn't seem to affect him so much but Prue took the moment to rip the teleportation spell out of the book. She used the couch to pull herself to her feet and shot for Andy's bedroom. She slammed the door behind her. With shaking hands, Prue stared at the spell, all the while hearing the door shake as energy balls pounded into it. "I'm sorry, Andy." She whispered softly before reading the spell.

"With the power of this witch's might  
Take me where tread my foes  
Down to spread a little light  
I must now face the place below"

Prue disappeared in a swirl of white orbs, leaving Rodriguez alone in the apartment with a look of satisfaction. He threw one more weak energy ball at the door and it shattered open. He wasted a few moments before following after her.

~PO4~

Prue reappeared in a dark cavern of the underworld. She squinted against the darkness that was barely lit by several candles along the wall. She dashed forward once she caught sight of Phoebe on the floor of the cavern. "Pheebs!" She called. Prue made it about halfway before two of the warlocks intercepted her. They both threw her backwards and right into the arms of the third. She struggled violently, managing to kick the leader as he stepped forward to help subdue her. He fell back to the ground but she followed as the remaining two warlocks let her go. The breath was knocked out of her when one landed heavily on top of her and the other kicked her hard in the side.

"Don't hurt her too much." The leader reminded them though he took advantage of her helplessness to twist one of her arms behind her back. No doubt in retaliation to the kick she had landed on him.

"Phoebe!" Prue screamed, her eyes straining to make out her sister's form.

The leading warlock smirked down at Prue. "Yes, Phoebe, come say hi to your sister." He ordered.

Prue heard a faint shuffling before Phoebe stepped into the ring of light. The first thing Prue noticed was the distant look in her younger sister's eyes. "Phoebe, listen to me. Snap out of it." She pleaded, trying to wiggle out of their grasp. She gasped when the warlock twisted her arm further.

The warlock to her left stepped toward Phoebe and placed an athame at the base of her throat. "Be quiet and stop struggling." He snapped impatiently. Prue recognized him as the dark warlock. He threateningly pressed the edge of the athame into Phoebe's skin, causing a shallow line of blood to appear along it. Prue immediately fell silent and didn't move, much like Phoebe, except Prue's eyes gleamed with hatred while Phoebe's remained blank as if she didn't even notice the cut.

"Perfect." Rodriguez announced his presence, sauntering toward the group. "Two down. Two to go. Put her in the back and leave guards with her then find out where Piper and Paige got sent to."

"Andy knows your plan. He'll find them first." Prue challenged as they roughly pulled her to her feet.

Rodriguez laughed softly and held his hand out toward Prue. A faint glow appeared in the space between them, slowly forming an image of Andy on the floor of the interrogation room. "As you can see, the cop won't be finding anyone anymore." He smiled at Prue's look of shock.

Prue stared blankly in front of her at the scene. She could see glass, Andy, was that blood? She wanted to say something, to yell at Rodriguez, but she couldn't form the words.

Her legs buckled beneath her and only the warlocks held her up. The picture disappeared and she could hear the warlocks talking to her, telling her something. "Andy…" Prue whispered so softly that no one around her heard. Then she was being forced forward, past Phoebe who didn't appear to be fazed at all. Prue was suddenly angry. She twisted in the warlock's grip so that her free hand could grab onto the warlock that held her. She closed her eyes in concentration and tightened her grip on his arm. Thoughts that weren't hers flooded her mind, making her even angrier. She almost collapsed from the momentum of it all but quickly reversed the telepathy and forced him to take the telepathic energy. He couldn't and it blasted him backwards and Prue spun, throwing her hand out to send Rodriguez and the warlock leader flying through the air. Rodriguez retaliated with an energy ball that Prue deviated toward the dark warlock. He had no time to move and he exploded with the force of the power. It had all happened in the time it took to take one breath and just like that, Prue could feel Piper again. She knew she was with Paige, that they were okay, even where they were at. She threw her hand out at Phoebe to push her out of the way of the inevitable fight and turned to face her three demons.

~PO4~

San Francisco Police Department

Andy groaned from his place on the floor of the interrogation room. His hand flew to his head which felt as if it was going to explode. His ears rang though he was silently surprised that he could hear at all after that ungodly sound that Rodriguez had used against him. Andy glanced to his left to find Darryl watching him in concern.

"What the hell happened in here?" Darryl demanded, his tone of voice telling Andy clearly that he wasn't in the mood for some cryptic answer.

Andy heard him clearly despite the incessant buzz in his head but ignored Darryl's question. He forced himself to his feet and held onto the table for support. "You didn't warn Prue, did you?" He countered harshly.

Darryl slammed his fist into the table and leaned toward Andy. Andy was vaguely aware of a busted lip on his partner as well as a fairly deep cut on his arm. "That I.A. son of a bitch turned on me. I get away from him to find you on the floor in what's left of this room. You wanted me to help Prue because she was attacked and her sisters are missing. I thought you'd gone and got yourself killed along with them. Why?" Darryl questioned coldly, spilling out everything he knew of the situation and obviously wanting to know how it all fit together. Andy didn't immediately answer but took a deep breath to keep himself from yelling back. "How does Prue fit in with them?" Darryl repeated.

Look, Darryl, the sisters are the only reason those killers were stopped, that any victims were saved, and without them many more people will die." Andy replied with little emotion. "Those I.A. officers are frauds and want to stop the sisters from helping at any cost. That is all you need to know." He concluded and with that he stalked through the door and left Darryl in a thoughtful silence. Andy didn't look back as he heard Darryl coming up behind him.

"They would have gotten to her before I was able to get out. I saw Rodriguez leave." Darryl admitted, his voice slightly more sympathetic though it was obvious he hadn't completely gotten over the whole crazy situation.  
"  
Don't worry about it, Darryl." Andy returned shortly.

Darryl rolled his eyes, his hand resting comfortably on the gun at his side. "And you're still going back." He realized in disbelief.

Andy gave a sharp nod. "It's the only way to find out what happened and where she could possibly be."

"I'll see you at the car." Darryl stated suddenly. Andy glanced back at him in surprise. "Don't think about leaving without me, partner. I've been kept in the dark but I've grown quite fond of your girl…" Darryl smirked before taking the hallway that would lead him toward their bullpen office.

Andy smiled faintly as he headed for the front but it slowly faded in concern. "Prue, what have you gotten yourself into this time?" He paused as a feeling of being watched passed through him. He looked over the area but the stationhouse was eerily empty. Andy ran a hand through his hair, growing very frustrated with the ringing in his head. He concentrated on it, trying to make it stop when the sound of Rodriguez's sonic scream filled the room. Andy cursed but as quickly as it started, it was gone and the room was once again silent. Even the buzzing in his head was gone... He hastily left for the car before Rodriguez could try it again on him. Demons were Prue's thing… not his, right?

 

The Underworld

Prue pressed against the cavern wall as energy balls flew past her or hit the wall that she was using to shield herself. She waited for a break and then bolted the few feet to the rock formation that she had thrown Phoebe behind to protect her. She felt an energy ball fly past her but it was the only one before she slid down next to her sister.

"Prue?" Phoebe's voice was soft, surprised, and confused. Her brown eyes looked up at Prue groggily.

"It's about time." Prue grumbled, taking the moment to look over their makeshift cover to see where Rodriguez and the warlocks were. An energy ball flew straight at her and Prue dropped back down just in time to avoid it. It crashed into the wall behind them and the underworld cavern shook violently.

Phoebe stared at the newest scorch mark on the wall in surprise. "What is going on?" She demanded.

"We're in a fight." Prue answered shortly. She held her hand out in a sign for Phoebe to keep quiet and the two sisters could clearly hear footsteps coming up on either side of them. "Hold on, Phoebe. I've got an idea." She ignored the curious look Phoebe sent her as the warlocks advanced closer. Prue waited until the two warlocks turned the corner and she reached out, grabbing onto the light-featured attractive warlock for the second time. Her other hand clutched Phoebe's and she focused on the warlock's thoughts that flooded through her mind. She found what she was looking for and redirected her power (and maybe a little bit of Phoebe's) to that one thought. Prue blinked her eyes and Phoebe, Prue, and the warlock blinked out of the cavern.

Rodriguez silently fumed as his two captive sisters managed to escape. "Follow after them." He ordered coldly to the remaining warlock. "… And tell Anderson to execute his orders." Rodriguez added before shimmering out. The warlock leader wasted no time in following.

Andy's Apartment

Andy led the way into his apartment with Darryl close behind him. They both had their weapons drawn (Darryl had stopped by his desk to grab Andy a gun) and moved silently through the room. Andy went to his bedroom and bathroom area while Darryl checked the living room, dining, and kitchen area.

"Clear." Darryl announced, lowering his gun slightly.

A moment later Andy's voice called "Clear" before he rejoined Darryl in the main area. They both pocketed their guns and proceeded to really look over what was left of the apartment for the first time. The front door was at an awkward angle as the top hinge had broken off with Rodriguez's forced entry. Anything that had been glass: picture frames, decorative objects, mirrors, the front of the cabinets was shattered and littered the floor and counter space. There were more than a few scorch marks along the walls and floor from energy balls and the couch had a large hole in it, presumably from an energy ball as well. Lastly, Andy's bedroom door was nothing but a pile of broken wood.

Darryl's gaze was shifting over the broken glass. "This place looks like a crime scene." He stated. While Darryl was preoccupied, Andy kneeled down to where the Book of Shadows had fallen off the table onto the floor. He flipped it over and scanned quietly through the pages until he found one that had been ripped out. Andy sighed when he couldn't find the teleportation spell which meant that Prue had probably cast it just like Rodriguez had wanted. He quickly closed the book and slid it under his couch, knowing Prue wouldn't want

Darryl to know that much about them yet. "She put up a good fight though." Darryl remarked as optimistically as he could manage. He turned back to face the uncharacteristically silent Andy.

Andy didn't reply but dropped onto his couch, carefully avoiding the new hole. He ran his hand through his hair, trying to figure out what he could do. It seemed to him that Prue had run into his bedroom to give herself a few minutes. In that case, if she managed to get out at all, she had cast the spell to take her to the underworld. Andy pushed himself up and stalked to his bedroom. There was nothing messed up in it other than the door. He almost turned to leave when his eyes landed on the table next to his bed where her necklace was sitting. She had probably taken it off when she went to sleep. He hesitated before picking it up, careful not to let the small silver heart slide off the chain. He gripped  
it tightly as his anger slowly boiled to the breaking point until Andy's free hand punched the wall next to him. "I should have been here." He whispered to no one. Andy's hand pounded the wall again but with a little less enthusiasm.

"Trudeau, you know you couldn't have missed that interrogation without getting you and Prue in more trouble." Darryl argued, causing Andy to look up in surprise as he hadn't seen Darryl come in after him.

"If he's hurt her I'll kill him." Andy returned, ignoring Darryl's comment.

Darryl gave the faintest of nods, unsurprised by his partner's declaration. "That would involve finding him first. Do you have any idea where he'd take her?" He asked professionally.

Andy let his finger pass over the necklace charm as he thought over the question. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. After a moment of contemplation, his eyes opened and he smiled slightly. "The Manor." He decided before walking past Darryl and for the door. He didn't really know why he was so confident, but he was sure he was needed at the Manor. Andy slipped Prue's necklace into his pocket and pondered whether he should bring the Book of Shadows with him or not. In the end, he figured the book would be safe enough staying since evil couldn't touch it. He led the way out with Darryl closing the door as best he could behind them.

 

Wherever Piper and Paige Are…

"Hey, Ma'am, is she okay?" The gravelly voice of an elderly man asked from the driver's seat of his van. He was looking in the rear view mirror at Piper and Paige who were in the backseats as his wife was asleep in the passenger's seat.

Piper was still as a statue with her eyes closed and breathing heavily as she tried to follow what was happening with Prue now that she could suddenly hear her older sister. Paige forced a smile to the elderly man. "Oh yeah, she's just a little claustrophobic." Paige lied easily though she cast an impatient glance at Piper.

The elderly man didn't appear entirely convinced. "I can put the windows down." He offered but received no answer from either sister. He just shrugged and returned his full attention back to the road.

Paige waited until he was no longer watching them before she leaned closer to Piper. "What's going on?" She demanded in a whisper.

Piper's eyes flickered open and she bit her lip slightly. "We need to go. Prue got her and Phoebe into a fight. They need our help." Piper explained under her breath.

"Are you sure we'll be able to get to them? We probably won't find another ride back to San Francisco." Paige pointed out. After realizing orbing wasn't going to get them anywhere, Piper and Paige had managed to stumble upon a road and convince the elderly couple that passed by to give them a ride. As luck would have it, the elderly couple would pass through San Francisco on their way home from a vacation at Mammoth Mountain. Piper said it was luck; Paige said it was magic.

"Prue's telepathy is back. Why not your orbing?" Piper countered. Paige shrugged to which Piper glanced pointedly at the car door.

Paige rolled her eyes but gave the slightest of nods in understanding. "Um, Sir, can you pull over please?" She asked, smiling sweetly at him.

He glanced in his rear-view mirror at them curiously. "Is your sister okay?" He wondered, carefully slowing down on the side of the empty road.

"Yeah, it's just that this is close enough to where we wanted…" Paige answered.

"San Francisco is over 3 hours away still." The elderly man reminded them suspiciously.

Paige looked at Piper for help. Piper plastered a smile for the man over her look of impatience. "Thanks so much for the ride but we really have to go." She appreciated. Without waiting for an answer, Piper pushed the door of the van open and pulled Paige out after her.

"Thanks again." Paige called over her shoulder as she followed Piper off into the woods next to the road.

The elderly man's jaw dropped in disbelief as he watched them leave into the woods. "Hey, wait. You can't just…" He stopped abruptly as Piper flicked her wrists and froze him.

After the freeze wore off, the sisters were nowhere to be seen. With little other choice he shrugged to himself again and started down the road. When they were sure they couldn't be seen from the road Paige stopped and turned to Piper. 

"Okay, where are we needed at?"

"Home." Piper replied, grabbing Paige's hand. The two sisters orbed out without further ado.

 

The Halliwell Manor

Prue, Phoebe, and the warlock landed heavily on the street just outside the Manor, each of them rolling several feet across the gritty concrete before stopping. Phoebe was the first to regain her feet and attempted to help Prue up, but found her eldest sister seemed to have exhausted herself. Instead Phoebe went on the offensive with a roundhouse kick against the warlock before he had a chance to try and attack her or the down and out Prue. Piper and Paige appeared amidst blue and white orbs farther down the street. Piper flicked her wrists and the attractive warlock froze mid-swing at Phoebe.

"You okay, Pheebs?" Paige called while Piper ran to Prue's side.

Phoebe gave a faint nod and backed away from the warlock to join Piper, Prue, and Paige. "She's been fighting a lot lately…" Phoebe explained to the worried and questioning look Piper was giving Prue. Together, she and Piper supported Prue with Paige behind them in case Prue fell backwards on them.

Piper gently pushed Prue's dark hair away from her face. "Shake it off, Prue." She joked to which Prue grumbled a reply that none of the sisters caught.

There was little time to catch up as Rodriguez shimmered in with the warlock leader only a couple breaths behind. The attractive warlock remained frozen in the early afternoon sun casting a long shadow along the empty street. The four sisters huddled together on one side with Piper and Paige a slight step in front of Prue. Rodriguez and the unfrozen warlock leader didn't exchange so much as a glance before Rodriguez tossed an energy ball while the warlock conjured a thick rope that magically bound around Prue's ankles and wrists.

"Energy ball." The energy ball disappeared and rematerialized heading back in the other direction as Paige released it.

~PO4~

 

"There they are." Darryl pointed down Prescott street where the four sisters and their three enemies were having what appeared to be a stand-off. Andy grunted in answer and floored the gas of the police car straight toward them. "Whoa, Andy!" Darryl yelled, debating whether it would be a good idea to take the wheel from his partner. Andy, however, veered at the last minute so that he missed both groups and actually drove right between them where he stopped in the middle. Darryl and he threw open the doors of the car and moved protectively in front of the four sisters with their guns drawn on Rodriguez and the two warlocks.

"You two, get out of the way." Piper hissed, waving her free hand enthusiastically to the side.

Neither cop moved so Phoebe ran forward and grabbed Andy's arm. "You can help by helping Prue." Phoebe ordered, attempting to pull him back by the arm.

Andy hesitated but slowly lowered his gun. He gave a stunned Prue a quick one-armed hug and then passed her to Darryl before walking toward Rodriguez. Darryl looked as if he was going to protest but one look at Prue changed his mind. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige's eyes widened in surprise and they quickly ran after Andy, leaving Darryl to undo the tight ropes that bound Prue. Prue harshly pulled her hands away from Darryl. "No, stop him." She pleaded, her wide blue eyes following Andy and her sisters.

Rodriguez's eyes blazed in fury as Andy approached while the warlock leader knocked into the attractive warlock which effectively unfroze him. "You're supposed to be dead."

Rodriguez stated, carefully emotionless. He waved his hand behind him in a gesture for his warlock minions to stand down for the moment.

"Nice try but it wasn't your best work, Rodriguez." Andy replied with a smirk that dared Rodriguez to try again. Rodriguez changed his tactic since his sonic scream had failed and tossed an energy ball at Andy. Piper quickly froze it before it hit him, but Andy reached out before the sisters could stop him. His hand touched the explosive power and his arm went numb as he absorbed it. He grinned at everyone's shocked face.

~PO4~

Darryl looked up from unbinding Prue and saw to his dismay Inspector Anderson pointing his gun at the group of sisters plus Andy. Standing at the edge of the Halliwell property, Anderson couldn't be seen by them but Darryl and Prue had full view of him. "Andy!" Darryl yelled a warning as he fumbled for his gun.

~PO4~

Andy tensed, immediately on alert at Darryl's yell. He heard several consecutive shots and jumped into action. Andy grabbed Paige, who happened to be closest to him, around the waist and pulled her out of harm's way. Phoebe had the same idea and practically tackled Piper to the ground. More shots rang through the air as Darryl returned fire on Anderson. Andy looked back at Rodriguez's group and instinctively released the energy ball he had absorbed. His arm tingled unpleasantly as it flew from his hand. It soared into the warlock leader despite having been intended for Rodriguez. Andy swore as the last warlock watched his leader burst into flames and then blinked out. Rodriguez met Andy's  
gaze evenly before shimmering from the scene, a new plan already forming in his mind.

"Phoebe!" Piper's frantic voice called Andy's attention back to them. Piper was leaning over her younger sister while Paige seemed to be staring in shock as red blood pooled around them.

Andy was beside Piper in a flash. "Lay her down and apply pressure." He ordered taking a limp Phoebe from Piper and laying her gently on the ground. He placed the heel of his hand on her abdomen where the bullet penetrated and pressed down. "Ice. Get some ice." Andy added. Paige orbed inside the Manor without a second thought.

"I need two ambulances at 1329 Prescott Street…" Darryl spoke quickly into his phone as he half-carried Prue to Andy, Piper, and Phoebe. He let her drop down next to Piper and ran farther down the street to check on Anderson, still spouting off orders in his cell. Paige orbed back to them with several make-shift ice packs. She passed a couple to Andy, who immediately added it to the pressure on Phoebe, before she ran the rest to Darryl. Tears trailed down Prue's cheeks as she gently pulled a sobbing Piper away from Phoebe and Andy as the sound of ambulance sirens grew louder…


	45. To Break a Witch Part 2a

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Okay, here is the end of my Season 1 Rewrite. I hope you all continue to read my Season 2 which should come up fairly soon. So keep a look-out. Yes, there will be a Season 2 for everyone who asked. I love all the reviews that I've received throughout the entire year so thank you so much.
> 
> This chapter actually ended up much longer than I initially expected, even longer than the first part but I don't really think you guys will care too much. I've enjoyed this entire experience and I sincerely hope this is as satisfying an ending to you guys as it is to me.
> 
> Enough of that. Enjoy. Let me know what you think in a review and I hope you follow and review my Season Two.

To Break a Witch Part 2

The Bay Area Hospital

Andy Trudeau threw the door of the hospital open with more force than necessary while he ran his free hand through his slightly damp brown hair. The day had turned cloudy late that evening with a slight, yet continuous, drizzle. Droplets of water rolled off his trench coat to dribble onto the bright white floors. A custodian glared at him as he now had to reclean the floors again, but Andy could care less at the moment as he crossed the lobby to the elevator. He didn't pause next to the front desk, already knowing the room number that Prue and Phoebe Halliwell occupied. He pressed the 'up' elevator button and stepped back to wait, watching the button glow with an expression that could only be described as intense. Andy thrust his hands deep into his pockets before pulling out his cell and turning it off. If Darryl needed something, he could interrupt them personally. That's how it had been for the past three days. Right after work (Andy had gotten his job back after Darryl had appealed to the captain about Rodriguez attacking Andy during interrogation. Needless to say, they were now searching for Rodriguez), Andy would go to the hospital and spend the rest of the night and the following early morning with Prue. Sometimes her sisters were there, other times just nurses. Phoebe was always there but the doctors insisted (much to the sisters' anger) that she be left undisturbed. Andy saw the glowing elevator button dim and he turned his attention to the door which he knew from experience would open in but a few moments. It did and Andy had a brief feeling of appreciation at the normalcy. It was weird that such small things seemed so important just because his life was so not normal. It had been up until he'd moved back to San Francisco almost a year ago. Prue had been... weird, for lack of a better word, and the majority of his cases suddenly made no sense whatsoever. He'd later found out magic was involved. Of course it couldn't be fairy tale magic where true love's kiss made everything perfect again. No, that would be too easy. Instead demons and warlocks ran around and shattered his seemingly normal world. He could only imagine how the sisters had felt when they found out. At least he had them to make sure he was sane and not going completely crazy, which he worried about more often then he cared to admit.  
He finally stepped out onto the correct floor and scanned the hallways for the correct room. Andy gently pushed the door open in case Prue was asleep. He didn't want to wake her as it was hard enough to get any sleep in the hospital without him banging doors open. The first smile he'd probably had since he left the hospital that morning crossed his features as he saw her. Definitely not asleep, Prue seemed to have taken a liking to Sudoku and sat filling the numbers in strategically. Her forehead creased in thought, she hadn't noticed Andy at the door. When asked about her new obsession with Sudoku she just said she was bored out of her mind but Andy could tell she was lying. It was written  
all over her face at this particular moment that she actually enjoyed them. Andy finally knocked lightly on the door so as not to startle her before crossing the room to her. 

Prue looked up and her face immediately lit with a smile. She tossed the Sudoku on the table next to her bed without a second thought and jumped off the bed, ignoring Andy's look of disapproval. "Finally! I've been here all day with only cranky nurses and Phoebe. I was about to have to take desperate measures for entertainment." She whispered dramatically. They always whispered in the room so as not to disturb Phoebe. Personally, Andy thought it was a little pointless as Phoebe had yet to regain consciousness after her emergency surgery and talking at a normal voice would not disturb her any, but he also knew the doctors were looking for any excuse to get Phoebe her own room. The three remaining sisters were reluctant to leave Phoebe alone in case a demon attempted to finish off their unconscious sister. Unfortunately for Prue, she was the only sister that had half a reason to stay in the hospital, having some rather severe bruising, high blood pressure, and the knife wound. They really weren't anything to worry about anymore but it was a decent excuse to keep Prue near Phoebe in case of an emergency.

"Piper and Paige haven't been here today?" Andy asked a little surprised. Ever since he'd come back from Portland the sisters had been practically inseparable. Of course, he now understood why.

Prue shook her head slightly. "They called. Quake's hosting some segment producer and Piper's supposed to be in charge of it or something. Paige is trying to work out a part-time schedule with her boss now that she starts a few college courses over the next semester. She should be stopping by late tonight." She relayed off-handedly. "What's the verdict with your apartment?" Prue wondered curiously.

Andy shrugged. "They canceled my contract." He admitted nonchalantly. Prue wrinkled her nose as he announced what she expected but was hoping they wouldn't do. By the time Andy and Paige had returned to his apartment to fix it, neighbors had called the damage in to the owners. Andy didn't really have much of an explanation although he played the 'someone broke into my apartment' card. Apparently the damage was too great… and honestly the owners couldn't be blamed for being worried about their room. "I signed off this morning on my way to work."

"Well, you can take my room at the Manor. I'm obviously not using it right now." Prue decided, turning away to sit back on the bed.

Andy joined her, going along with her offer. There would be no point in arguing with her. It wasn't like he spent any time outside work or the hospital anyways. His gaze traveled to the motionless Phoebe on the other side of the room. 

"Anything new?" He inquired, nodding in her direction while situating himself comfortably on the bed.

Prue shifted so that she was lying against him before answering. "Everything's getting better. They expect her to wake up soon." She answered though there was a flash of worry in her eyes.

"If they say she's getting better then she is. Don't worry so much." He soothed gently.

"Are you leaving to see your parents tomorrow?" Prue asked, quickly changing the subject.

Andy absently twirled a strand of her dark hair around his finger. "Yeah, Paige is orbing me there in the morning. I haven't quite figured out how to do it without taking out the entire room…" He explained with a faint flush at his incapability to master the annoying power that had quite suddenly appeared.

"Did I tell you that I slid across the floor when I switched powers with Paige? And that I accidently orbed to another state several times?" Prue questioned with her own embarrassed smile.

"You did?" Andy laughed to which Prue nodded enthusiastically.

"Just don't try too hard. Paige is a good teacher and if you get lost then she should be able to find you. That's her job after all." Prue advised.

Andy nodded against her. "See, it's weird as hell that she can stalk me so easily. What did I need an angel for anyways?"

Prue rolled her eyes dramatically. "Andy, you have been more involved with us than you care to know. Not the least of which… the wendigo. I saved your ass from that temperamental werewolf wanna-be, thanks to Paige." She exclaimed.

"So, basically, Paige saved my ass." Andy joked.

Prue frowned in distress and she turned to look up at him. "Nooo…" She whined. "… I stopped it from eating your heart. Paige just got me there." She insisted.

Andy chuckled and pecked Prue's forehead with his lips. "Well, thank you." He appreciated. Prue stared at him calculatingly for a few seconds before twisting back around against him. He picked up her Sudoku and brought it around for them both to see. "You did it wrong, sweetheart." Andy pointed out.

Prue stared at it with wide eyes. "No, I didn't… did I?" She mumbled before looking up at him to find him smiling. "You liar." She accused, smacking his arm so that he rubbed the newest sore spot on his arm.

He laughed and pointed to one of the boxes. "That one's a seven." Prue looked over it for a moment before agreeing with him and carefully filling it in.

~PO4~

South Bay Social Services

Paige sat in her little corner that was an excuse for a desk as she scanned over her bank savings on the computer and the amount of financial aid she was granted for her next semester at Berkeley. She thrummed the keyboard absently, her face thoughtful. After what seemed like hours of careful consideration, Paige grabbed the piece of paper in front of her and walked to Mr. Cowan's office. She knocked lightly on the door and waited until she heard the 'come in' before stepping through.

"Hey, Mr. Cowan. I've been thinking a lot and I feel like I needed to give this to you." Paige explained as her boss turned his chair around to face Paige.

He took the paper Paige had passed him and quickly read over it. He dropped it on his desk and looked at her in surprise. "Paige, I know I've been tough on you, but I don't want you to quit." Mr. Cowan admitted, waving his hand over her resignation paper. "You've got a real gift at helping people."

Paige smiled faintly. Mr. Cowan didn't really know the half of it. "Don't worry. I'm always gonna help people, but I don't want to split my focus anymore." Her smile widened at Mr. Cowan's look of confusion. To him, quitting the Social Services was shifting her focus completely, worse than splitting really, but he didn't know her magical job.

"Good luck with college, Paige." Mr. Cowan agreed, signing his name on the line provided for him. He kept one copy and passed the other to Paige, officially freeing her. Just before she took it from him, he pulled it back with a smile. "If you're ever looking for a job after you get that higher degree, come back. I may just find a place for you again." He offered wholeheartedly.

"Thanks for everything… I may just take you up on that." Paige laughed. She hugged him once before leaving his office to pack her things.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Andy cursed as blue and white orbs deposited him in the foyer too close to one of the side tables so that he knocked it over and a vase shattered on the ground. He leaned against the wall as his stomach flipped uncomfortably a few times.

Paige materialized next to him and took in the scene with a bright smile. "That was better. Only one casualty this time." She encouraged. Andy glared at her perfect landing. "Oh don't look at me like that. It gets easier. I've had more than my fair share of crashes." Paige replied.

"Mmm…" Andy grumbled something that Paige couldn't hear before trudging over to his possessions that the Halliwell sisters had graciously allowed to litter their conservatory. He walked into the downstairs bathroom for a shower and came out twenty-five minutes later to find Paige waiting for him in front of the television. A huge flow chart occupied the table in front of her that she was staring at intently.

"Trying to figure out Rodriguez's next move." Paige explained as he joined her.

"You doing it by yourself?" He asked in disbelief.

Paige slowly shook her head. "No, Prue's been throwing in suppositions." A smirk crossed Paige's features. "You don't think she really sits and plays Sudoku all day, do you?" She pressed rhetorically.

Andy scanned a critical eye over the chart. "We know he has had accomplices. Make another one depicting how they fit into his plan before. You may find a connection to how he's trying to take you down through his past mistakes." He advised knowingly.

"Ooh… its nice having a cop around." Paige remarked, making a quick note on the corner of the paper. She straightened up and faced Andy. "Alright, ready to interrogate your parents?"

Andy gave a faint nod and Paige placed her hand on his arm to help guide his reckless orbing. There was a loud knock on the front door that made them pause. Andy exchanged a glance with Paige before pulling out of her grasp and opening the front door to find a slightly younger man with dark hair on the doorstep. Andy shifted so that his gun was barely visible, a subtle but intimidating warning. "Can I help you, man?" He questioned.

The younger man shifted uncomfortably under Andy's scrutiny but held his gaze. "Paige Matthews here?" He wondered.

"Hold on, I'll see." Andy offered, closing the door in the other man's face.

"Who was it?" Paige inquired, her attention back on the flow chart.

"Some guy asking for you. Are you expecting anyone?" Andy replied with a shrug.

Paige shook her head and ran to the nearby window that allowed her a view of the front door. Her jaw dropped in disbelief before a smile lit up her face. "Oh my god, it's Glen!" She squealed, practically running for the door now.

 

Andy hastily reached out and grabbed her around the waist before she could rush outside. "Whoa, Squirt, who's Glen?" Andy demanded, not sure he liked the idea of Paige going out right now.

"My best friend since… god, kindergarten." Paige explained. "Now let me go. I gotta say hi."

Andy narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Are you sure he's not a demon or a warlock… wasn't the last guy you dated one?" He pressed.

"Yes, Alex was, but this is Glen. Come on, you're the evil identifier now. Do you think he seemed evil when you were talking to him?" Paige countered patiently.

"No, but it could be a trap. One of Rodriguez's plans…" Andy pointed out rationally.

Paige couldn't help but smile a little at him. "I see how you and Prue get along so well…" She commented thoughtfully. Andy started to protest but Paige held up her hand to silence him. "Look, I'll go to Quake with him where Piper will be there to keep an eye on me. After lunch I'll escort you to your parents, okay?" She pleaded, turning on her famous puppy eyes.

Andy sighed and let her go. "Don't worry about it. I'll orb myself there. You just stay somewhere public… you hear me, Squirt?" He ordered with narrowed eyes.

Paige nodded enthusiastically and swung the door open without another moment to spare. "Glen!" She screamed, throwing her arms around his neck so hard that he almost stumbled down the steps.

Andy closed the door to let them have a little privacy for their reunion and retreated further into the house where there was no chance of anyone witnessing his attempt at orbing. After a minute of careful focusing on his parents' basement, orbs surrounded Andy and he disappeared from the Manor.

~PO4~

Quake

"So who was the scary guy at the door?" Glen wondered curiously as he and Paige strolled through town on their way to Quake.

Paige laughed softly at Glen's expression. "That was Prue's best friend and sorta boyfriend sometimes. I don't really know where they stand right now, but he's not really as intimidating as he acts. He's just protective… kinda like Prue which I think is why they get along so well." Paige explained for his benefit.

Glen looked back behind him where they had left the Manor behind. "Damn, I thought Prue was bad enough. I even bought her the best coffee from Costa Rica so that she'd let me take you out…" He admitted with a sheepish smile.

"You're that scared of Prue? You're such a suck up." Paige accused lightly, giving Glen a shove. A comfortable silence fell between them as they crossed a busy road. "Well, it would probably work. She'll love you forever."

"I'm not scared of her…" Glen insisted to which Paige raised her eyebrows. "… I'm just not keen on having her yell at us again." He continued.

"She yelled at you once." Paige pointed out.

Glen glared playfully at Paige. "Yeah and it was scary as hell." Glen reminded her.

Paige nodded in agreement. "I don't think you came over to my house for weeks maybe months after that." She teased. Glen rolled his eyes but didn't deny her accusation. "I'd be more worried about Piper at the moment." Paige warned with a glance at the restaurant that was just coming into view.

"Wait, then why are we heading for her? We should be turning tail and running away." Glen joked.

"Seriously, Prue's not near as bad as she was back then. I think it's because Phoebe isn't constantly working her up on purpose. Plus Andy's back around and he always helped keep her cool. Do you really not remember Andy at all?" Paige replied.

Glen looked thoughtful for a moment. "Was he the one that was with Prue when she discovered Phoebe having sex with her boyfriend when you and Phoebe shared a room? And they were escorting us up to the room to make sure exactly that wasn't going to happen with us?" He reminisced with a smirk.

Paige burst into a fit of giggles. "I forgot about that, but yeah that was Andy. That was after they were out of high school so one of those times he came by before his parents moved up to Portland with him. God, Phoebe was such an idiot sometimes."

"All I remember him doing was keeping Prue from pummeling the guy and then telling Phoebe to lay off the sex with men more than four years older than her." Glen offered with a chuckle.

"I think Prue threw a book at him for not letting her punch the guy that was with Phoebe…" Paige added with a shrug.

"Does he always carry a gun around?" Glen questioned suddenly.

Paige glanced over at him and led him away from the front door and through the 'employees only' door before answering. "He's a cop." She replied as if that explained everything.

Glen appeared impressed. "Very cool." He took the moment to scan over the restaurant until his gaze landed on a very stressed Piper. He pointed in her direction and Paige nodded.

"I'll be right back." She told him and ran toward Piper without waiting for a response from Glen. "Hey, Piper!" Paige called.

Piper looked up from directing the people setting up for the segment producer and offered a half-smile to Paige. "Oh my god… you have perfect timing. Can you help me?" She pleaded, grabbing Paige's hands hopefully.

Paige hesitated with a glance back at Glen that Piper didn't notice. "With what? I don't think I'd do much good here…" She admitted.

"I spilled marinara sauce on my dress. I need another one or I'll have to pull a Celine Dion and wear it backwards… which I can't do! Please…" Piper explained pointing at the stain on her dress.

"Well, Glen is kinda waiting on me so if you keep him occupied while I 'go to the bathroom' and get you another dress than sure." Paige suggested.

Piper nodded eagerly and located Glen where Paige had left him. She started for him while Paige disappeared into the back where she could safely orb to the Manor and back.

"Hey, Glen, long time no see." She greeted as pleasantly as she could muster.

"Sup, Piper. Nice Restaurant." Glen returned, offering her a charming smile. "Where's Paige?" He asked when he saw she wasn't with Piper.

Piper waved for Glen to follow her while she picked up two menus. "Bathroom. She'll be right back." She answered, leading Glen to an available table for two. As Glen settled himself into the seat Piper looked up to find two of her workers arguing quite loudly over where the stage should be set up. She groaned and turned back to Glen. "Gotta go. I'll send, uh, Amanda over once Paige gets back." Piper promised, hurrying back to her directing job.

Paige reappeared with a new dress in hand just as Piper made it back to the bickering workers. Piper gratefully took it from Paige. Paige glared at the two workers and stepped up between them, waving for Piper to go ahead and change. "It would look best over by the windows where there will be a view of the city." She stated as if it was obvious. Her tone of voice clearly said the argument was over and the workers moved on. Paige cast a glance over her shoulder at Glen and shrugged slightly. Glen gave her a thumbs up and she smiled.

~PO4~

The Trudeau House

Luck was with Andy and he managed to keep from causing a huge disturbance in the basement that would have brought his dad running in with his gun drawn. He snuck out the back door of the basement and walked around the house until he was at the front door. He might as well look as if he got here normally. Andy knocked and waited, even though it was his parents' house and they wouldn't mind him barging in.

His mother, Linda Trudeau, opened the door and looked mildly shocked for a moment before a grin spread across her delicate features. "Andrew!" She exclaimed.

"Hey, Mom." Andy greeted with a soft laugh. He allowed his mom to envelope him in a tight hug. "Surprise! Is Dad here?" Andy asked.

Linda stepped away from him and forced a sigh. "Is this another one of those police things that is going to leave your poor mother out of the conversation?" She deadpanned.

Before Andy could protest, her lips turned up into a smile and she waved for Andy to follow her while she pulled her light brown hair out of the clip it had been up in.

Andy took the moment to look around the house and smelled the sharp scent of paint. "Are you guys painting?" Andy inquired curiously.

"Yeah, the living room needed a new color." She admitted. "Robert, look who showed up on the doorstep." Mrs. Trudeau called to her husband.

Robert appeared at the end of the hallway, looking surprised as he caught sight of his son walking toward him. "Andrew. Did you get lost?" He joked. Robert Trudeau was only slightly shorter than Andy and had a darker shade of hair but otherwise was an older version of his son. Andy had gotten the lighter brown hair and blue-green eyes from Linda.

"He has another policing question for you…" Linda answered before Andy had a chance to say anything.

"Well, not exactly." Andy interrupted to which his parents turned their attention back to him. "I need to ask about Prue and her sisters." He explained cryptically.

If possible, he could swear his mother's smile widened even more. "Prue, huh?" She repeated with a knowing smirk and then she turned to Robert. "I told you once he went back to San Francisco…" Linda started, poking Robert for emphasis that she 'called' it. Whatever 'it' was.

"Linda, dear, you have no idea what he's going to say." Robert argued, watching Andy with a curious expression.

"You're proposing, aren't you?" Linda demanded, spinning on Andy as if Robert hadn't even spoken.

Andy flushed in a way that only his mother was able to cause and he nervously ran a hand through his hair. "Uh, no, Mom…"

Linda frowned in disappointment and narrowed her eyes severely at her son. "Andrew, Prue is not going to wait around forever…" She began to scold to which Robert quickly interceded on his son's behalf.

"So what about Prue?" Robert asked, taking Linda's hand in a subtle sign to wait for an explanation.

Andy rolled his eyes. Of course they would only hear Prue out of the entire thing. "And her sisters." Andy corrected, still a little flustered.

"Okay, what about Prue and her sisters?" Robert repeated with the same roll of his eyes.

"You know about it, don't you? Magic, me, them… I need to know." Andy explained, his expression suddenly serious.

Robert and Linda exchanged a glance that was so quick, Andy wasn't sure if it even happened. "Should've known that would cause a complication." Linda mumbled. She waved for Andy to follow her and Robert to the living area.

~PO4~

Quake

Piper managed to find an available seat at the bar and allowed her chin to drop into the palm of her hand. Her chocolate brown eyes flickered over the ridiculously busy restaurant. She watched as waiters and waitresses ran back and forth attempting to keep up with the orders, as newer employees put the finishing touches on where the shoot would be… invariably she kept glancing over at Paige where her little sister seemed to be having the time of her life with Glen. Piper couldn't help the sigh that escaped her. Her hand reached up to play with the dog tag that she wore around her neck ever since she'd realized how much she loved Leo. She saw a flicker of blue from her periphery and her head snapped around eagerly only to find that someone was just playing with the lighting. Piper felt a twinge of jealousy for Paige but she guiltily pushed it to the back of her mind.

"Piper? Piper Halliwell?" Piper was pulled from her reverie by an unreasonably peppy voice that belonged to a tall blonde woman with a too perfect nose… and the rest of her body for that matter. "I would recognize you anywhere, you have not changed one bit…" The woman gushed while Piper forced a smile and pretended to be following whatever she was rambling about. "… You don't recognize me, do you?" She asked, not sounding upset in the least. Piper just narrowed her eyes as she tried to place a name. "… Joanne. Joanne Hertz. Baker High. Class of '92."

Piper forced a bright smile. "Oh, sure, of course, Joanne. What are you doing here?" She chirped.

"I'm the segment producer." Joanne announced, falling silent as she waited for Piper's reaction. She was obviously waiting for some kind of worship or something from Piper.

"You're the segment producer?" Piper demanded, unable to keep the astonishment out of her voice. Her hand clenched the edge of the bar so hard that her knuckles grew white with the tension. Joanne frowned at Piper's reaction and Piper jumped to cover it up. "Wow, small world. I thought you moved to New York…" She hastily covered.

Joanne fell right for it and waved her hand dramatically as if she was forgiving Piper's initial surprise. "I did. And that's where I met my fabulous husband who had this crazy idea of starting this little cable show and putting me in charge of everything. And here we are, the Food Network's most popular show. Talk about dreams coming true." She laughed. It was a high-pitched shrill laugh that made Piper want to cover her ears to prevent damage. "Anyway, enough about me. What have you been doing?" Joanne inquired eagerly. The look in Joanne's eyes practically dared Piper to come up with something to beat what she had.

Piper flicked her wrists and the room froze, save for one very confused Paige that sat across from Glen. "Piper?" Paige called curiously, trying to see why Piper had frozen everything through the crowd that blocked her view.  
Piper ignored her sister and stared at the frozen Joanne with a mixture of strong emotions building behind the calm face.

Jealousy… She'd lost Leo after all it seemed. He didn't appear to be coming back. So 'no' she was not happily married. She was still living in the same house she grew up in with her sisters, who were all doing better in the relationship department then she was. After all, wasn't she the one that fell in love with Jeremy, Mark, Leo, Josh, and Leo again all in one year? Failure.

Following her dreams… Hell no. She was still relying heavily on her older sister's income and was stuck as a restaurant manager when what she really wanted to be doing was running her own restaurant. Throw in being a witch and she couldn't be farther from what she really wanted. No… no nice normal life for Piper Halliwell.

Speaking of being a witch… She couldn't even do that properly. Her passive-powered sister took a bullet that should have hit her, Piper Halliwell. Yes, this very moment, Piper Halliwell should be lying in the hospital in place of her younger sister. Or better yet, if she'd just thought to freeze the damn bullet, all the better.

Piper's silent rant built until she was sure she was about to explode. She could hear Paige trying to get her attention, but Piper continued to ignore. In fact, she stared straight ahead at Joanne with a fierce hatred until the freeze wore off. Without saying a word to Joanne, Piper slipped from her seat and headed for the door, pushing people out of the way when necessary. Now that the restaurant had unfroze, Paige left Glen at the table and maneuvered her way after Piper only to find Piper was already out of sight by the time she got to the door. Piper floored the gas of her jeep and tore out of the parking lot for the hospital, not even bothering to stop the tears of anger.

~PO4~

The Bay Area Hospital

Prue relaxed back into the hospital bed, her eyes closed tightly in concentration while her hand gripped her cell phone. Despite the rule of no cell phones in the hospital rooms, Prue kept hers on in case of an emergency and Paige seemed to think this was one of those times. Something was wrong with Piper. Prue mentally reached out to Piper's thoughts but seemingly ran into a mental wall that Piper had put up purposely to keep Prue out. This hardly deterred the eldest Halliwell sister but she gave pause anyway. She could break through it and find out what Piper was thinking which would undoubtedly ruin the trust between the two or she could trust in Piper not to do anything stupid and hope for her to  
solve it in whatever way she deemed best. Prue sighed, hardly liking either choice but nevertheless she backed off. No sooner had she done so than Piper burst through the door, causing Prue to jump in surprise.

"Piper!" Prue exclaimed, unable to hold it in.

For once, Piper barely seemed to cast her elder sister a glance. Her eyes flickered to their motionless younger sister across the room. "I need you to leave." Piper whispered.

Piper's eyes were fixated on Phoebe, but Prue knew she was the target for the comment. She hesitated as Piper's weird attitude was slightly worrying. After a moment of contemplation, Prue slipped off the side of the bed with a faint nod. 

"Okay… I'll just be outside for awhile." She decided. She only left because Piper seemed desperate for her to leave and Prue didn't want to make whatever this was worse.

Piper nodded and only looked away from Phoebe after she heard the hospital door close. Prue had indeed left and Piper sighed softly before advancing on Phoebe. She still had tears trailing down her cheeks as she took her younger sister's hands in her own. She closed her eyes, thinking hard about how she'd done it before. Prue had never done it… had never entered another's unconscious through her telepathy. Piper had when she saved Prue from the dream sorcerer. And she needed to do it again. Only this time it wouldn't be as easy. Prue and she had already had a connection. In fact, Piper didn't even know if this was possible as it wasn't her power… She focused… she willed… she pleaded… for it to  
work. Suddenly Piper felt a tug in her stomach and had this weird sensation of leaving her body behind and then she was spiraling out of control. When she stopped, her eyes opened and Phoebe stood in front of her.

~PO4~

The Trudeau House

"What the hell is an expeller?" Andy repeated his question for like the fifteenth time. He kept getting some roundabout answer. His parents probably thought giving him all this information at once would overwhelm him, but, frankly, he did better with people just blurting it all out. "Their book was vague…" He began, his frustration showing a bit in his tone.

Robert Trudeau narrowed his eyes at Andy's tone but didn't berate him. Instead he leaned back more comfortably into his sofa. "Look, Andrew, they just try to help out the witches they're assigned to. Keep them from getting tricked by evil." He explained… again.

Andy looked as if he expected more of an answer and pressed forward when he didn't get any. "The witches they are assigned? I haven't been assigned to anybody." Andy pointed out.

"The Halliwells." Linda offered quickly with a sympathetic look to her confused son.

"No one has told me that I had to help them." Andy argued.

"You didn't need someone to order you to. Most of the old magical families have expellers and they've been helping each other for centuries. You can trace our family line helping the Halliwell's line all the way back to before the Salem Witch Trials." Robert countered. Andy just gave him a look that said very clearly this-was-all-very-interesting-but-youdidn't-answer-my-question.

His father smirked and continued before Andy could actually say anything. "Putting your relationship with Prue aside, have you never noticed that you can't get away from them?"

Andy was silent as he thought over the question but didn't really see where his father was going with it. Besides, it was kind of unfair to ask him to put his relationship aside… it was kind of important to why he did things the way he did. "I moved here for college." He retorted. It was the most obvious flaw with his father's question.

Linda gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. "Yes, but once you graduated the only place available for you to work was in San Francisco." She replied. "Not only that but you ran into Prue again less than a month of being there and I'm willing to bet your cases started to throw you against them." Linda smiled as Andy considered her point.

"When your cases did just that, was your partner as interested in the sisters as you were? Did he see how the sisters kept intertwining without you telling him?" Robert asked casually. Andy hardly had to think about the answer to that question. Darryl had, on more than one occasion, told him that he was obsessive when it came to Prue and her sisters and that there was no way four relatively random women could be that involved with that many cases. Robert seemed to read Andy's train of thought on his face. "See you didn't need someone to assign you to the sisters. You could say that it was magically ingrained in you." Robert continued.

"Of course, many people can be forced together and still hate each other, only interacting when they have to. You spend more time with them than you have to and that's entirely because you want to." Linda added hastily before it began to sound like magic trumped free-will, which wasn't the case.

Andy still appeared a little skeptical but gave a faint nod of agreement. "So… which one of you…?" He trailed off hesitantly, his eyes flickering between his mother and father.

Linda nodded in Robert's direction while Robert flicked his hand. "I was Patty's expeller. My mother and her sister were expellers to Penny but your great uncle didn't have any powers. They pick and choose and sometimes can skip a generation or two." He admitted.

"What powers do you have?" Andy inquired, feeling incredibly stupid to be asking this kind of question. He guessed he was going to be arrested for insanity or something eventually.

"Had… I don't have them anymore." Robert corrected with a shrug. "But I had the same ones you have, I imagine." He answered.

"Why don't you have them anymore?" Andy questioned in confusion.

Robert's easy smile faded, replaced with a solemn expression. "Without witches there's no reason for an expeller. Patty was the only Halliwell witch in my generation. When she died, I no longer needed my powers." He explained, a hint of bitterness in his voice.

"It's similar to the way you lost yours when Penny bound Prue, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige's powers…" His mother spoke up. "When Penny died and the spell was read to release their powers, it released yours as well." Linda added.

Andy ran a hand through his hair in thought. "That doesn't make sense. They've had their powers for almost a year. I've suspected mine about a month… The first time I used them was three days ago."

The funny thing about powers is even when they're released, you have to need them. The sisters have been confronted by demons and warlocks since day one. You haven't and so haven't been pressured to use them." Robert clarified.

"Why didn't I use them when the Wendigo attacked me? I certainly could have used them." Andy asked.

Robert shrugged slightly. "I don't have all the demons memorized so I'm not sure what a Wendigo is, but if you were completely caught off guard then that would be why. They don't just trigger automatically." He guessed. Andy fell silent again and relaxed back into the chair he was sitting in with a thoughtful expression. He had been caught off guard with the Wendigo… and it had hit him. He wasn't sure but he probably couldn't really absorb a punch or a slap. His parents exchanged a glance that he ignored before they got up, sensing he was done with questions, and left the room to let him get his head around the new information.

~PO4~

The Hospital

"Phoebe?" Piper blurted out in surprise. After all, she hadn't really expected it to work. The Phoebe in front of her waved and offered Piper a smile. Piper tilted her head to the side curiously as she looked around her. Everything was tinged with dark gray and seemed to be but a vapor of the real thing. Phoebe included. Piper couldn't place her finger on it but there was something different about her. She shrugged it off as magic did weird things sometimes and focused on what she needed of her sister. "I need your help." She admitted.

Phoebe nodded and smiled knowingly at Piper before turning around and dashing off through the door that would take them into the hallway. She moved fluidly and every step sent puffs of black smoke away from her.

Piper followed desperately after her. Now that the initial shock had worn off, she felt as she had before. Almost like she was going to drown in her feelings. "Phoebe, wait!" She pleaded. She ran out the door but instead of seeing the hospital hallway, she was in a classroom. Piper had a sense of déjà vu, but ignored it as she attempted to locate her younger sister. But the room was empty, save for one girl that was sitting in the corner. Piper would have recognized her anywhere. How many times had she looked in the mirror and seen that very face? The girl looked up and Piper's suspicions were confirmed. Herself… or more accurately her high school self. High school Piper had her long brown hair pulled up into a messy ponytail. She seemed to be bored as she kept alternating between colored pens to draw simple pictures on her jeans. Every now and then she would have to push her large glasses back up the bridge of her nose and Piper knew that if her younger self were to smile, she would have braces.

The older Piper seemed frustrated. She had come here for help and she was feeling even more dejected as her high school memories were resurfaced. Piper jumped as she heard voices and soon students were filling up the classroom, usually in groups of two or three. She called out to them, stood in their way, anything to get their attention, but no one noticed her. Not even her younger self. Piper resigned herself to listen to what was going on and moved out of the way so that she had a full view. The teacher that she vaguely recognized as her 10th grade English teacher began to call roll. Piper couldn't resist a narrow-eyed glare at Missy Campbell when her name was called.  
High school Piper kept her gaze down and didn't so much as move until her name was called. She answered with a soft "Here" and then allowed herself to tune out again. That was until she noticed her teacher talking to her.

"Prue Halliwell is your sister?" Her teacher asked, a bright smile on her face at the thought of getting another talented Halliwell girl.

"Yeah." Younger Piper mumbled. Her face blushed as her teacher nodded approvingly and every student's eyes now shifted to her. There was a bit of scattered laughter that was no doubt led by Missy Campbell.

The older Piper nearly blushed as she remembered this very moment. However, absent from the younger Piper was the rising jealousy and anger. High school had been full of people practically worshiping her elder sister while Piper had been left in the shadows, unable to break through. Piper looked hopefully to the boy sitting next to her younger self. She recognized him as Justin Harper… He was arguably the only friend she'd had back then. Granted he was only really interested in getting set up with Prue, but he did back her up sometimes when no one else bothered.

Unfortunately this wasn't one of those times as the young man turned in his seat to face high school Piper. "Prue, eh? She planning on breaking up with Andy Trudeau soon?" He demanded eagerly.

"No." High school Piper answered shortly.

Justin hardly seemed upset. "Any tips on how to get her to go out with me?" Before younger Piper could reply, he was already talking again. "She ever mentioned me? I help her out a lot." He smiled at some memory. "She's the best class President and Cheerleading Captain… I'm going to vote for her for Homecoming queen…" Justin started rambling.

Both younger Piper and the older one looked mildly disgusted as he seemed on the verge of drooling over his thought. The younger Piper's attention was drawn away from Justin as the teacher finally began her lecture.

Older Piper stormed out of the room before she had to suffer through more people fawning over Prue. "Phoebe!" She yelled, needing some kind of explanation. This certainly wasn't what she'd had in mind for help. The next room was an image of the Manor. This memory was still vivid in her mind as she recognized her Grams had her, Prue, and Phoebe sitting on the couch. This was when Grams had explained that they had another sister… right before Paige came to live with them. Sure enough, a small 10-year-old Paige Matthews scrambled through the door. Her Aunt and Uncle had her bags and they struck up a chat with Grams over where Paige was going  
to stay and when they got to see her and various other topics.

The younger Piper obviously felt bad for the little Paige… at least until Prue jumped up from the couch and ran to Paige. "Hey, Paige." Prue greeted, smiling genuinely at the youngest sister.

Paige smiled feebly. "Hi, Prue…"

And that's when the younger Piper figured it out. "You… know her?" She asked with a pointed look at Prue. This was the first time they were supposed to have known about Paige.

Phoebe still appeared to be in a stage of shock.

"Well… yeah… I sorta found out awhile ago." Prue admitted, her face guilty, but she continued to smile encouragingly at Paige.

Younger Piper felt a sense of betrayal that made the older Piper clench her fists as she remembered how much it had hurt. Not only finding out your grandmother and mother had lied to you but also, Prue… She and Prue were supposed to have told each other everything.

And then, to make it worse Phoebe ran forward, a smile on her face as she realized she was no longer the baby of the family. Phoebe took to her older sister role almost immediately. "I'll carry your bags. You can stay in my room." Phoebe decided. She was nearly jumping with excitement.

"See, everything's going to be okay, Paigey." Prue soothed the overwhelmed Paige. "I'll help Phoebe with your bags. We'll be right back." She added before taking off after Phoebe with some of Paige's stuff.

Paige turned hesitantly to the younger Piper, who remained silent and had no intention of breaking the silence. Luckily Grams walked in at that moment. "Hey, Paige, how about you help me with dinner?" She suggested gently. Paige cast another glance at Piper before nodding and allowing Grams to pull her to the kitchen. The younger Piper appeared even more hurt that Grams hadn't asked her to help with dinner… after all, that was what she loved doing.

The older Piper couldn't take this scene anymore and dashed out of the front door just as she heard Prue and Phoebe returning downstairs. She remembered clearly that they had helped with dinner that night as well.

Instead of the neighborhood outside the Manor, Piper found herself once again at school. Except this time she was in the gym and she was a year older. Not that that year had made her change much. The only way you could tell was just by knowing Piper had only gone to homecoming once, her junior year. The homecoming dance was in full swing around her. Piper groaned at the horrific memory and just wanted to escape. Her eyes scanned desperately for the door only to find her younger self.

High school Piper smiled up at her date for the night, Billy Wilson. He was a little awkward when it came to conversation, but he wasn't half bad to look at with his sandy blonde hair and striking blue eyes. She said something that older Piper couldn't hear before her younger self turned and made for the drink stand, leaving her date to wait for her.

A younger Phoebe Halliwell strolled up and casually bumped into Billy while he was attempting to replace the contact lens that had been burning his eye. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Billy." Phoebe apologized, grabbing onto his arm for his attention. She inconspicuously leaned closer to him more than necessary and even fluttered her eyes at him.

Billy ogled at her for a moment before regaining his composure. "No big deal…" He assured her, kneeling down to try and find his missing contact.

"Let me help. It's my fault." Phoebe flashed him a smile and dropped down next to him, pretending to help search for it. Phoebe didn't waste any time. As soon as he looked up again, she grabbed his tie and pulled him toward her so that their lips locked in a kiss. It quickly deepened as Billy overcame his shock and couldn't believe his luck that Phoebe Halliwell was kissing him. Needless to say, thoughts of Piper flew away from the teenage boy's mind as he focused on keeping Phoebe.

The older Piper didn't wait to see how her younger self handled the situation. She remembered all too clearly. She spun looking for a door, a way out, only to find the older version of Phoebe watching her with a small smile. "Phoebe, what the hell is this? You were supposed to help me!" She screamed, on the verge of tears again.

"I showed you what you needed to know… It's not my fault if you don't like what you see." Phoebe replied without a hint of sympathy.

"If you think of me this way… As this worthless girl, why did you bother taking the bullet?" Piper yelled. Phoebe opened her mouth to reply but before she could, Piper felt herself spinning out of control. Piper struggled against the pull. "No! Not yet! I… Phoebe…!" Her stomach flipped and the next thing she knew she was sprawled across the hospital room floor with her hand holding Phoebe's.

Everything was normal. Piper clenched her fists as she curled into a ball on the floor. Her nails dug into the palms of her hands, drawing blood as a sob racked her body. She was suddenly filled with this overwhelming anger. She was on her feet in seconds and grabbed the closest thing to her which happened to be a glass cup. Piper threw it across the room and it shattered against the wall.

Just then the door of their room opened, revealing Prue and Andy. Piper took one look at them, hands intertwined with each other, before charging at them. She pushed through them, breaking them apart in their surprise at finding her so upset.

"Piper!" Prue called after her. She abandoned Andy at the door and took off after her younger sister.

Piper spun around and sent a glare at Prue that stopped the eldest Halliwell in her tracks. "I don't want or need your help." She stated, her voice deathly calm. With that she bolted off again before her stunned sister could do anything.

~PO4~

Prue stared at the spot where Piper disappeared for what felt like years before Andy's voice finally pulled her from her reverie. "Prue!" His voice snapped and just like that Prue turned her attention to him. "Get a doctor." Andy ordered.

Horrible thoughts flashed through her head as she immediately obeyed, grabbing at the first nurse she could find and pointing frantically back at Phoebe's room where Andy was. She followed the nurse, her eyes searching for Phoebe and the reason they needed a nurse. "What happened? Is Phoebe okay?" Prue demanded, her voice a higher pitch. She attempted to get around the nurse but Andy wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her out of the way.

"She woke up. Nothing bad happened." Andy soothed. He jumped in surprise when Prue slapped his arm… hard.

"You had me thinking she was dying or something. Damn it, Andy, are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Prue hissed.

"Sorry." Andy apologized sheepishly while holding his hands up in a sign of peace. His gaze shifted to the door and he leaned down so that he could whisper to Prue and not be overheard. "Do you think Piper…" He started and then nodded to Phoebe's bed that was now surrounded by nurses and a doctor asking her questions and making sure everything was okay.

Prue opened her mouth to reply but no sound came out as she realized she wasn't really sure. "How would she be able to?" Prue asked. Her face creased with worry as she thought about Piper. She had no idea what to do…

Andy just shrugged. "It just seemed convenient." He admitted. He looked up as the nurses and doctor moved toward them.

Prue slipped away so she could talk with Phoebe, leaving Andy to find out the actual state of her sister and deal with the doctor's instructions and what not. "Hey, Pheebs, how're you feeling?" Prue inquired. She had to admit that Phoebe look much better without all the support stuff. She was a little paler than usual, but otherwise looked pretty good.

Phoebe smiled at her eldest sister. "Been better." She laughed softly to show she wasn't too bad off. "What's been going on?" Phoebe wondered, acutely aware of Prue's worried expression.

"Oh, the usual. Piper kicked me out of here a moment ago and when I came back she stormed out like she was going to go kill somebody or something." Prue blurted out without really thinking.

"Piper did?" Phoebe repeated in surprise.

Prue gave a faint nod and then grabbed at her phone. "Hold on, I need to call Paige and tell her you're awake. And then we need to do something about Piper." She interrupted, pulling her cell from her pocket and dialing Paige's number. Normally she'd just call aloud and have Paige orb to them but the doctor was still talking to Andy… that might look suspicious.


	46. To Break a Witch Part 2b

The Halliwell Manor

Andy parked his car in the Halliwell's driveway and moved quickly to the front door. He grabbed the extra key that he knew the sisters left in the bird house that hung on the overhang before thrusting it into the lock and going inside. He grabbed a water from their fridge and sat down at the kitchen table. As Andy attempted to gather some inspiration to help him solve whatever was going on around him now, his eyes landed on the flow chart Paige had started. Leaving his water on the table, Andy walked through to the Solarium where Paige had left it on one of the tables. He spread it out and searched for some common ground between the plans Paige had uncovered as Rodriguez's.

The first thing that stuck out at him was how each plan tied to Rodriguez had always focused on one sister over the others. Paige had been made vulnerable by Alex not to mention how Alex would have been able to find out how the sisters worked on demon cases. Piper had been kidnapped for some reason Andy didn't know. Prue had recently been separated, attacked, and almost killed; all orchestrated by him. Phoebe was also taken by him for another reason Andy didn't know. With the exception of Prue and Phoebe going on at the same time, all the other sisters had been left relatively unharmed while each plan commenced.

His plan for Paige was one of the easiest to figure out. They had wanted someone to get close to the sisters so they could come up with the real plan. Prue, Andy knew as well. Rodriguez had wanted Prue to do something rash by isolating her and making her believe she really didn't have a choice if she wanted to stay alive. Andy paused in his thinking as he thought back to his interrogation.

Do you know how to kill a witch, Trudeau? Rodriguez had asked. Andy jumped up from his seat as he remembered the answer… an answer that shed a lot of light on Rodriguez's past plans and perhaps his current one. You have to break them. Was Piper not close to the breaking point when she shot out of the hospital room? But how was Rodriguez fueling Piper's thoughts driving her that far? Piper wouldn't fall for his plan directly so Rodriguez had to have some indirect way of keeping Piper focusing on something upsetting. Andy's gaze shifted over the flow chart again, except he seemed to be looking at it in a different way. As if he was searching for something to confirm his growing theory. If Paige's  
relationship with Alex was a first step of generating the plan then maybe so was Piper being kidnapped a couple months ago and maybe he had needed Phoebe for something. Otherwise, he could have just killed her right off instead of taking her to the underworld. If he could find out what Rodriguez had wanted with Piper and Phoebe maybe he could figure out the plan and then they could help Piper better.

He nodded to himself as it was as good a start as anywhere, even if it turned out not to help. At least it was something. Andy grabbed his keys and started for his car. It would have been quicker to orb but he didn't particularly want to expose magic to the hospital, not to mention the wonderful side effect of feeling extremely sick. No, the car would just have to do for now.

~PO4~

The Hospital

"Look, doctor. I really need to leave the hospital." Phoebe insisted from her seat on the side of her bed. Prue and Paige were on either side of her where Prue was filling out her release papers.

The doctor looked disapprovingly down at Phoebe. "I cannot with good conscience let you leave the hospital in your condition. You just woke up from having an emergency surgery and your body hasn't had enough time to become completely stable." He argued.

She'll rest and recover much better at our place than here." Paige lied hopefully.

"I can't hold you here but you'll have to sign release papers saying that I highly suggested you stay here to recover." The doctor finally gave in to their pestering.

Phoebe nodded hastily. "I will do that, Sir." She promised. The doctor sighed and left the room to get her papers.

"I don't know, Pheebs. I think you should stay." Prue admitted when the doctor was out of earshot.

Phoebe shook her head in disagreement before Prue had even had time to finish speaking. "No way. Piper needs our help. I'm coming too." She retorted. She jumped off the bed, wincing only slightly. "I won't do too much, I promise, but I'm definitely going to help."

"Besides, Piper seems to want to talk with Phoebe the most. I don't know about you, Prue, but Piper looked at me like I was the devil incarnate." Paige pointed out with a slight frown on her features.

"I suppose you're right." Prue consented reluctantly. The sisters trailed off when the door opened but it was only Andy rejoining them.

"I think I know what to do." Andy announced without wasting a moment of time. Prue tilted her head to the side questioningly, Phoebe raised her eyebrows, and Paige nodded for him to explain. "We know Rodriguez has had a lot of help with coming up with this plan and Paige and I've deduced that Piper being kidnapped a couple months ago had something to do with it. He must have gained something from her and then he also kidnapped Phoebe for some reason. I think if we can find out what he gained by having them alive then we can figure out his plan and we can stop him from hurting Piper." Andy blurted out in one long breath.

Prue's eyes narrowed in thought. "What do you mean by hurting Piper? She's just acting weird." She remarked.

"I don't think so." He argued before continuing. "During my interrogation with him, he said that the way to kill a witch is to break them and Piper was undoubtedly close to breaking apart when we saw her last." Andy explained.

Phoebe frowned in confusion. "But breaking someone is definitely not the same as killing them. So how does that idea of his work?" She asked.

Paige jumped in before Andy could answer. "People do desperate things when they're broken. You see it all the time on the news… The least he could hope for is that she decides not to fight anymore." Paige followed with a glance at Andy, who nodded at her approvingly.

"Which would effectively end the Power of Four." Prue realized.

"Damn." Phoebe cursed. "Well, how are we supposed to figure out what he got from us? Piper didn't remember anything about what had happened and I certainly don't either."

"I was thinking we could track down that warlock that got away. He probably would know something or at least know someone who could tell us." Andy suggested.

Paige leaned against the wall with an uncertain glance at Andy. "It's a good idea…"

"…But it involves us leaving Piper alone while we investigate." Phoebe interrupted, not appearing pleased with the thought. Everyone's gaze shifted to Prue, who appeared deep in thought. "Uh, Prue?" Phoebe prompted an answer when she didn't seem like she was going to without a little help.

Prue slowly looked up to meet their eyes before she looked directly at Andy. "During that interrogation… Rodriguez talked about me, didn't he?" She guessed.

Andy looked surprised by the unexpected question. "Well, yeah, a little." He admitted while Phoebe and Paige exchanged a glance. "Why?" He asked, acutely aware that he seemed to be missing something.

"I wasn't part of the set-up plan. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige all were…" Prue elaborated and everyone seemed to catch on with where she was going.

"Prue was the target." Paige finished. She shifted a little uncomfortably. "That's why he tried to kill Andy."

"Only it sort of backfired because Prue went a little crazy for a moment. She was much harder to handle then he thought." Phoebe continued.

Andy cast a worried glance in Prue's direction. "When he failed with Prue he must have decided Piper would be easier." He offered.

"Well that brings us back to our original question. What are we supposed to do about this?" Phoebe reminded them. Eyes again returned to Prue.

"We have to make sure Piper is okay first and then we can follow Andy's suggestion and finish this." Prue finally decided. Phoebe and Paige nodded in agreement while Andy looked mildly disappointed. Prue seemed to notice as she turned to her sisters. "Phoebe, you and Paige go find those release papers and get you checked out." She ordered. The younger two sisters shared a glance before they hurried out, understanding the looks Prue and Andy were sending each other.  
The door closed and they heard steps leaving before Andy turned to face Prue. "As a cop, I can tell you that you're not going to be able to help Piper without taking out what's causing this. Not when it's this bad." Andy insisted.

"And as a sister I can't just walk away from Piper when she needs help. Even if she doesn't want my help if your theory is right then there might not be a Piper left by the time we take out Rodriguez." Prue argued. "I'm sorry, Andy, but we have to take care of her first." She apologized

Andy nodded reluctantly. "Alright, you guys find her and I'll see what I can find out from the warlock." He suggested.

A flash of horror crossed Prue's features. "You can't go by yourself!" Prue countered. "It would be suicide going by yourself to the underworld when you haven't had your powers for a week yet." Andy looked as if he was about to argue. "No, I already thought you had died… you need to be more careful, not go running into it." She rambled, desperately trying to make him understand.

"Prue." Andy interrupted, grabbing her arms and turning her around to face him. "This is my job. Let me do it."

Prue shook her head stubbornly. "No, don't you get it? Andy, I would die if anything happened to you…" She paused hesitantly meeting his eyes. "… I still love you."

A flicker of surprise crossed Andy's face at her confession and it took him a moment to find his voice. "I love you too, Prue." He whispered, pulling her tight against his chest.

~PO4~

After pulling herself away from Andy with a promise that he wouldn't do anything without them, Prue made her way through the hospital hallways, searching out her two youngest sisters. She finally found them at the receptionist desk on the floor they were on.

"Where's Andy?" Paige wondered hesitantly as she didn't see their favorite cop behind her sister.

"He's going to run some things by Darryl while we attempt to hunt down Piper." Prue explained, a funny look on her face. She shook her head as she shook away a thought and turned her attention to her sisters. "Need any help?" She asked, eyeing how Phoebe was being mostly supported by Paige.

Paige waved a hand in denial. "No thanks. I got it, besides we wouldn't want you hurting yourself more than you already are."

Prue rolled her eyes and moved forward to help Paige anyways. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm way better off than Pheebs here." She smiled at Paige and then looked to Phoebe. "How you doing, honey?" She inquired gently.

"It hurts like hell now that I'm moving." Phoebe admitted with a grimace. "Let's just get to the car or something." She suggested. The three Halliwell sisters moved agonizingly slow as they made their way to the car. Prue and Paige helped Phoebe into the back where she sprawled comfortably across the seats. Prue jumped into the passenger seat and Paige took the driver's seat.

"Now where do we start?" Paige questioned, referring to finding their missing sister.

"I can try to get a premonition from something and see if it tells us where she is." Phoebe offered.

Prue shrugged and glanced back at Phoebe. "I could just break through her block." She pointed out.

Phoebe nodded thoughtfully. "Even better. Go for it." She allowed.

Before Prue could concentrate enough to do anything, Paige reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her. "That's just going to piss her off." Paige warned. "It'll take forever for her to trust us again."

"I suppose you're right." Prue sighed reluctantly while Phoebe grunted in agreement. "Any other ideas?" Prue wondered.

"How about scrying?" Phoebe asked.

Paige frowned, shaking her head. "Come on you guys. Are we sisters with her or not?" She pressed. Prue and Phoebe appeared dumbfounded for a moment before they recovered.

"The beach…" Prue stated suddenly, earning looks from Phoebe and Paige. "The one Grams took us to after Mom died." She elaborated, mostly to Phoebe as Paige hadn't lived with them then. Phoebe still looked uncertain but Prue was positive that she was right.

Paige nodded and turned the car on. "Just give me directions." She told them before pulling out of the parking lot.

~PO4~

As soon as Prue had left the room for her sisters, the inner conflict that Andy had suppressed for her flared again as strong as ever. He sighed, trying to decide what he should do. He didn't want to break his promise to her but he also knew that taking out Rodriguez was the only way to help Piper… which was what Prue really wanted. Andy knew what had to be done. He checked the room to make sure there was no one nearby or any cameras or anything before he resigned himself to orbing out.

~PO4~

The Underworld

A pair of demons passed through one of the cavernways at a slow pace. One carried a torch that allowed a faint bit of light to illuminate the way in front of them while the other was ready to form an energy ball at the sound of any other presence. Just as they turned a corner, blue and white orbs lit up the area as Andy rematerialized. He slammed into the wall with a grunt but was otherwise unharmed. The light of the torch grew brighter as the two demons came back to investigate the noise and Andy quickly pressed himself against a crook in the wall. One hand was clenched around his gun, purely by instinct while the other was free to hopefully absorb any powers thrown at him. Honestly he hadn't  
quite figured out how to make it work but in theory his hand would absorb them. The demons said something to each other that Andy didn't catch and a moment later the light dimmed as they moved away again.

Andy stayed completely still for several slow minutes to make sure no one was coming back before peeking around the corner and then coming out completely as the cavernway was empty. He looked down one way before turning and looking down the other, not sure which direction would be best. He suddenly realized that it wasn't the best idea to not even have a plan but he shrugged the thought off. He had always been more of acting on impulse then seriously planning. Supernatural evil detector Paige had called him. So detect where the warlock is… He looked both ways again, concentrating on what he remembered of the warlock. Eventually he picked the right… only because it was the opposite  
way the other two demons had gone.

He walked several minutes through the dark caverns before he met anyone else. Andy passed by the warlock oblivious to its presence until it jumped out behind him, thinking to stab Andy in the back. With reflects born from police academy, Andy managed to jump to the side after hearing him. The athame sliced into his arm but it was by far a better result than a full blow. The warlock reversed his swing but his knife passed right through as Andy instinctively orbed out. As he orbed back in- in the same spot, Andy reached out and grabbed the warlock's arm and slammed him back against the cavern wall. The warlock tried to blink out of his grip, but Andy absorbed the power. "Where is the warlock that helped capture two of the Charmed Ones?" Andy demanded, twisting the warlock's arm so that his athame was pressed against his throat.

"Vanquished." The warlock smirked and heaved a harsh laugh despite the pressure that Andy had against him. "No one escapes the Charmed Ones." He forced out.

"This one did." Andy retorted, forcing the athame closer to the warlock's neck. "Where is he?" Andy repeated.

The warlock's eyes widened slightly as he realized the full extent of his predicament. "I don't know." He insisted.

"You're lying." Andy bluffed. "And wasting my time."

The warlock hesitated a moment longer. "He's hiding. Nearby… among us." He caved. Andy didn't move, making it clear he wanted more from the warlock. "The back of the main. That way." The warlock moved a single finger and jabbed slightly in the corresponding direction.

Andy released him but pulled the athame from the warlock's grip. "Get out of here." He ordered, betting that the warlock would leave to save his own skin. He doubted the warlock held any loyalty to the fallen one. Evil beings didn't often sacrifice themselves for someone else. The warlock blinked out as soon as he was let go. Andy sensed that he had indeed gone and moved carefully farther into the Underworld.

Andy walked for another ten minutes, avoiding any more run-ins although he did have to sneak by a few warlocks or demons. He came up on the cavern that the warlock had to have been speaking of as it was easily the largest one around. Now he just had to determine which way was the back when all the branches looked the same. There were several people speaking in the middle of the room that Andy was watching when movement from the corner of his eyes caught his attention. Whether luck was with him or something else entirely, he recognized the warlock that was sneaking into one of the branches. Andy followed, ducking behind pillars and stalagmites until he was safely out of sight of anyone  
behind him. The warlock was alone and Andy wasted no time. Not when he didn't know if Prue was successful at talking with Piper or not. Andy pulled the athame on the caught off guard warlock. "Why did you capture Phoebe Halliwell a few days ago?" Andy began.

The warlock answered by throwing an energy ball at Andy that left no mark on him as it was absorbed. He threw another one, this time larger and stronger but still the only effect it had on Andy was his arm going numb for a moment. Andy returned, releasing the first energy ball at the warlock's feet so that he was blasted back by the force and slammed into the wall. "Because he wanted her." The warlock gasped out.

"For what?" Andy repeated, advancing steadily forward while the warlock picked himself up.

The warlock didn't immediately answer and Andy held his hand up, ready to release the other energy ball. "Her visions of his future. He tried to fight Prudence based on them but he failed." He blurted out, not keen on getting vanquished.

"And Piper? She was taken a couple months ago… Why?" Andy interrogated, taking another step forward with the athame in front.

"Her memories. The witches got her back before it was complete but he has some." He answered.

Andy looked a little surprised at that. What would a demon want with memories? "What was his plan?" The warlock didn't answer as he attempted to blink out. Andy smirked as he felt the power surge through him and the warlock obviously didn't move. "His plan, warlock?" He snapped.

He grimaced before replying. "He wanted to hurt the eldest. He used the memories and the visions to shape the moment when he would strike." The warlock explained.

Andy gave the slightest of nods. "Take me to him."

"Why would I do that?" The warlock returned harshly.

"Because I'm going to vanquish him but I'll let you go. Something I doubt he'll allow since you failed him." Andy replied.

The warlock seemed to think the offer over a minute before he smirked, sensing that Andy had let his guard down. "You can get there yourself." He responded, blinking out before Andy could stop him.

Andy swore as the warlock got away from him and leaned against the wall while pushing his sweaty hair away from his face. "Paige…" Andy called, hoping that perhaps she would be able to give him some insight on how to hunt down a demon. He frowned when she didn't come. He shook his thoughts away that were invariably thinking that Paige couldn't come because she couldn't be spared from helping Piper. That meant he really needed to vanquish Rodriguez. With a sigh, he closed his eyes and thought of Rodriguez. Paige had told him that you couldn't just orb to a person that you didn't know where they were at. You had to sense them first. However, Andy didn't have many options and it wouldn't hurt to try. He stayed that way for more than a minute before he gave up and opened his eyes. Still thinking hard on finding Rodriguez, he blinked and disappeared.

~PO4~

The Beach

Piper sat out on a large stone that hung slightly over the crashing waves of the ocean. Smaller rocks littered the area around her which she eagerly tossed as hard as she could into the fierce water. She blinked back tears and threw them harder to the point that it felt as if she was going to pull her arm out of her socket. Piper watched as the sun touched the horizon, bathing the water a reddish color. A fitting color for how she felt at the moment.

"Piper!" Prue's voice shattered the silence. It was soft, far away, but still there.

At first Piper thought she was hearing Prue in her head but then she remembered she was blocking Prue's telepathy. She shut her eyes tight as if that would make her invisible.

She'd read once that that's what children thought and why they found it so amusing. Unfortunately she knew that wasn't the case, no matter how much she wished it. Now that she was listening for them, she could hear Phoebe and Paige's voice mixed in with Prue's. Too soon they were much louder and had definitely seen her.

"Piper, honey, can we talk?" Prue asked gently.

Piper finally resigned herself to shift to look at her sisters. They had stopped a couple feet away, apparently wary of approaching. It was a smart move as without even thinking about it, Piper picked up a smaller rock and hurled it in their direction. Prue casually waved a hand and it careened to the side where it slammed into the sand. It hadn't even come close to hitting them, but it made them pause again. "No." Piper answered shortly despite the fact that the rock was answer enough.

Paige glanced nervously at Prue and Phoebe before taking a small step forward. "Phoebe's awake and much better. Didn't you want to talk to her?" Paige hinted with a pointed look at Phoebe.

"Why would I want to talk to her? I already took a bullet for her. Wasn't that enough?" Phoebe suddenly snapped. Prue and Paige's jaws dropped while Piper flinched as if she'd been hit.

"Phoebe!" Prue scolded with a look that could kill at her younger sister. It was really a miracle that Phoebe wasn't thrown halfway across the beach.

Paige pushed away her surprise and instead of focusing on Phoebe, turned her attention to the distraught and angry Piper. "Don't listen to her Piper. She doesn't know what she's saying…" She offered hopefully.

Piper turned a glare on Paige. "She sounds pretty clear to me." She stated harshly.

Phoebe smirked to herself. "I mean exactly what I said…"

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Paige snapped, spinning on Phoebe.

Prue's eyes lit with realization. "Piper, sweetheart, listen to me. Rodriguez is doing this. Making you upset, you have to fight him." She explained, closing the couple feet to grab Piper's hand.

"Oh Prue, you don't have to keep making excuses for her behavior." Phoebe interrupted.

Piper ripped her hand from Prue's and jumped off the rock into ankle deep water. "Piper, talk to me… us." Prue pleaded.

"I don't want to talk." Piper replied, taking slow steps deeper into the water. Paige opened her mouth to say something but Piper continued before anything came out. "And even more than I don't want to talk… I do not want a pep talk." Guessing exactly what Paige had been about to do.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Prue demanded, running right up to the edge of the water where she hesitated with a wide-eyed look at the crashing waves.

Piper glanced back with a 'duh' look back at Prue. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going to stop myself from feeling like the failure that I am."

"You are not a failure!" Prue yelled back at her.

Piper laughed mirthlessly as she was now waist deep in the ocean water, deeper when the waves crashed against her. She turned back to face Prue. "Without you guys I have nothing! I have no money, am still living in the same house with only my sisters, no perfect boyfriend, no restaurant. Get it yet? I have nothing that I've always wanted. That is failure." She screamed back.

"Don't forget the cat! That's a start." Phoebe called in a mocking voice. She suddenly found herself being tackled to the ground as Paige lost her patience.

Prue ignored the scuffle behind her, took a deep breath, and stepped into the water after Piper.

~PO4~

The Underworld

Andy stumbled slightly as he blinked into a fairly well-lit cavern. He looked around confused as to how he'd gotten there as he hadn't orbed. This came with a rush not a stomachflipping sickness. That was when he realized he must have used the warlock's power that Prue had mentioned before. It didn't take him long to find out why he'd come here.

Rodriguez stood watching him across the room and next to him, to Andy's surprise and confusion, lay… Phoebe?

"Surprised?" Rodriguez asked, following his gaze to the second youngest Halliwell sister. He strolled around so that his hand crossed Phoebe's arm. "The one up there is but a… reflection. One that does my bidding." He explained.

Andy quickly recovered and forced himself to keep on his guard this time. He took slow, deliberate steps forward. "How long has there been an imposter?" He questioned, carefully neutral.

"Prue thought she broke my hold on Phoebe when she went on the offensive down here. However, she was so focused on getting out alive, she didn't even think about Phoebe just suddenly becoming normal." Rodriguez continued thoughtfully. "I thought she would have figured it out when she used her telepathy to blink them all out, but to my luck, she didn't." He paused casting Andy another glance. "Then I thought the plan had been ruined when my Phoebe went and got herself shot saving Piper, but again it has worked out all the better."

"Have you hurt her?" Andy demanded, clenching his fists at the thought.

Rodriguez turned his gaze back to Phoebe. "No. This one hasn't even been shot." He shrugged and walked back around so that he stood in front of Andy. "I'll commend you as you've figured out the majority of my plan, excluding Phoebe. I used Alex to get close enough to tell me how they solve demonic cases. What they focused on and therefore could exploit. I originally tried to break Prue with information I learned from Piper's memories. You, for one, she cares too much for. Second, her sisters. Get her alone and I found she's reckless. However, a choice few of Piper's memories did just fine breaking Piper to pieces. I had my Phoebe show her them when Piper came to her in the hospital. Which of  
course, I couldn't have done without having Phoebe, thus I kidnapped her just in case. The visions were just an added bonus that would have worked had I not underestimated Prue." Rodriguez revealed casually as if it was a perfectly normal conversation.

Andy didn't move for several long moments as he digested everything Rodriguez had told him. He suddenly threw his hand out, releasing the warlock's energy ball at Rodriguez. Rodriguez side-stepped it but it hit the wall behind him so that large pieces of the cavern wall collapsed on top of him. Andy dashed toward Phoebe, but an explosion nearby sent him flying across the room. Blinking the stars out of his eyes, Andy looked up to see an unharmed Rodriguez bouncing an energy ball lazily in his hand.

"Would you like to see the end of my plan work?" Rodriguez inquired. He waved his hand and a whitish pool appeared in front of Andy where there was a scene playing.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Prue demanded, running right up to the edge of the water where she hesitated with a wide-eyed look at the crashing waves.

Piper glanced back with a 'duh' look back at Prue. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going to stop myself from feeling like the failure that I am."

"You are not a failure!" Prue yelled back at her.

Piper laughed mirthlessly as she was now waist deep in the ocean water, deeper when the waves crashed against her. She turned back to face Prue. "Without you guys I have nothing! I have no money, am still living in the same house with only my sisters, no perfect boyfriend, no restaurant. Get it yet? I have nothing that I've always wanted. That is failure." She screamed back.

"Don't forget the cat! That's a start." Phoebe called in a mocking voice. She suddenly found herself being tackled to the ground as Paige lost her patience.

Prue ignored the scuffle behind her, took a deep breath, and stepped into the water after Piper.

Andy's eyes widened as Prue set foot in the water. What was she thinking to do? She couldn't swim… He looked back at Rodriguez, jumped to his feet and grabbed the only weapon he had. He pointed his gun and fired several consecutive shots at Rodriguez. He winced as an energy ball hit his shoulder and found himself sliding across the cavern floor. Andy instinctively threw his hand out just in time to absorb a second of the explosive power. Rodriguez was advancing toward him when Andy orbed out. He reappeared in the same spot but standing up and grabbed hold of Rodriguez's arm just as he released another energy ball at Andy. It flew to the side, leaving another scorch mark on the floor.

Andy's other hand flashed out, releasing his power that hit Rodriguez directly in the chest. Rodriguez flew back and exploded into flames before he hit the ground. Andy stood in stunned silence for a split moment before he remembered the sisters. He had to get the real Phoebe to them.

"Phoebe!" Andy called, shaking her in an attempt to wake her up.

With Rodriguez vanquished, Phoebe jerked awake at the touch and stared at Andy. "Oh my god…" Phoebe whispered. "Paige, vanquish her… it's not me… trust me, Paige." Phoebe rambled, earning a look of sincere worry from Andy.

~PO4~

The Beach

Paige, vanquish her… it's not me… trust me, Paige.

Paige froze in her fight with Phoebe as the words spun through her mind. Definitely Phoebe's voice… she'd know it anywhere. Vanquish the imposter. She hesitated. What if it was a trick? But Phoebe never would have said those things to Piper. Not the real one. Right? "Gun." Paige called aloud, visualizing Andy's gun in her mind. It appeared amidst blue and white orbs as Paige scrambled off 'Phoebe.' She prayed and then fired into Phoebe's arm. To her sincere relief there was no blood. The body just faded away now that it was hurt and didn't have Rodriguez to sustain it. Still, she stared in shock at the spot where it had been. "It wasn't Phoebe." She blurted out.

~PO4~

"This is ridiculous, Piper." Prue exclaimed. She inwardly shuddered as the water soaked her clothes and lapped higher with every step. "You are twenty three years old. I don't know who you've been talking to but no one is completely successful at that age. You have time! You can start your restaurant, you can get married, support yourself…" Piper paused mid-step, almost causing her to fall over as a wave crashed into her. "Damn it, Piper, listen to me. I'm twenty five and I don't have any of that stuff." She insisted. Prue carefully held her hand out to Piper. "Let's go back to the shore and figure this out." She tried again.

Piper looked as if she was going to refuse again when Paige's voice sounded from the shore. "It wasn't Phoebe…" She looked back at Prue's hand, inner conflict shining in her eyes, then grasped onto it.

~PO4~

Quake

Phoebe paused in the doorway and scanned the room for Piper before she caught sight of her older sister reading through some papers at the bar. "Hey, how you feeling?" Phoebe asked, sliding into a seat across from Piper.

Piper shrugged and looked up from her papers. "Pretty good actually. I'm just reading through the outline for the segment." She answered, offering Phoebe a genuine smile.

"Joanne let you reschedule then…" Phoebe guessed.

Piper gave a nod, sliding her papers to the side and giving Phoebe her full attention. "But I'm not going to do it." She announced.

"Why not?" Phoebe inquired curiously.

"I've decided I'm going to quit my job." She replied.

Phoebe tilted her head to the side in surprise. "Really?" She returned, sounding impressed.

"Yep. I've turned in my two weeks notice and it was accepted." Piper stated with another nod. She smiled a little wider at Phoebe's reaction. "With everything that has happened to us since we became witches… I somehow had forgotten what my dreams were, still are. I always wanted to be a chef and have my own restaurant, not manage one. So that's what I'm going to do." Piper explained with a newfound look of determination.

"I think that's great. I really do." Phoebe congratulated and then smirked. "Have you told Prue that? Paige just now told her that she quit her job for full time schooling."

Piper shook her head. "I think I'll save it for later." She admitted with a chuckle.

"I don't think she'll mind. Not after you made her follow you into the ocean." Phoebe joked to which Piper blushed slightly. "Seriously though, Paige has enough in savings and financial aid that her schooling won't be coming out of Prue's paycheck and Andy's moving in, which by the way, he gets paid really well." Phoebe insisted.

"I didn't know he was moving in." Piper remarked thoughtfully.

Phoebe couldn't contain a soft laugh. "Well, after Prue was finished yelling at him for going off by himself, she dragged him up to her room for awhile. And then they were moving his stuff into her room… and Paige and I sorta eavesdropped on their conversation…" She trailed off, apparently expecting to be berated, but found that Piper seemed interested.

"Bottom line, I think he's a keeper." Phoebe summed up.

"Did you ever doubt that?" Piper asked.

Phoebe snorted and waved her hand dramatically. "Of course not…" She smiled mischievously. "Paige and I started a bet on when the wedding's going to be. Want in on it?" She offered.

Piper rolled her eyes. "He didn't propose, Phoebe." Piper pointed out, but then shook her head as she knew it would be useless arguing with her about it. Her smile faded as she saw Joanne crossing the restaurant to her.

Phoebe looked around to see what Piper was watching and then grimaced. "Do you want back up?"

"No. I got it." Piper denied help. She slipped out of her seat and met Joanne halfway. "Uh, Joanne, I'm so sorry, but I can't do the segment." Piper admitted with forced politeness. Joanne looked surprised at Piper's comment. "Are you having another breakdown?" She asked in false concern. She froze at the look Piper sent back at her. "Kidding." She offered meekly.

Piper just smiled. "Look, I know I don't have the flashy job or the flashy ring or the flashy designer suit, but that doesn't make me any less than you or anybody else. And just because I haven't been able to act on my dreams yet like you think you have, doesn't mean I won't be able to find a way to do exactly that. And when I do, you can be damn sure that I'll be doing it with my own nose and not the one some discount doctor gave me." Piper ranted before spinning on her heel and heading for the door. Phoebe couldn't suppress a laugh as she quickly ran out after her sister, leaving Joanne to stare in surprise and run a finger over her nose self-consciously.

~PO4~

The Halliwell Manor

Prue was sitting on the steps next to a dressed-up Paige when Piper and Phoebe returned from Quake. The latter two sisters dropped down next to Prue and Paige.

"Why're you so dressed up, Paigey?" Phoebe asked, a teasing note in her voice.

"Glen's taking me out." Paige answered with a playful glare at Phoebe.

"Ooh… I like him." Prue admitted.

Piper rolled her eyes at Prue. "Only because he brings you something every time he takes Paige out." She teased.

Prue shrugged unable to deny it. "I'm certainly not upset about that." She allowed and then glanced curiously at Paige. "What is he bringing me this time?" Prue wondered curiously.

"Coffee grounds from Costa Rica. Supposedly it's the best there is." Paige replied with a slight shrug. "He might bring something for Andy too. Andy about made him turn tail and run earlier." She laughed at the memory and her other three sisters joined her. They fell into a comfortable silence, just lounging on the steps.

"It's been a hell of year, hasn't it?" Phoebe mused aloud.

Piper tilted her head to the side. "The year's not over yet." She pointed out casually.

"I'm with Phoebe… I think we're going to be alright." Prue remarked with a nod to herself. She smiled as all eyes turned to her. "Just think about all we've been through as witches." She challenged.

"Kinda gives me a headache." Phoebe commented.

Paige laughed at Phoebe. "I think she's getting at how we should be able to handle anything if we made it through this year." Paige explained helpfully.

"Well, some good things came out of it too." Piper allowed with a pointed look to the driveway where Andy's police car had just pulled to a stop. She smirked and glanced at Prue.

"When were you going to tell me that he was moving in?" Prue hesitated and mumbled something that sounded along the lines of 'didn't want to upset you.' She looked relieved

when Piper laughed. "I will admit. It's going to be weird… a good weird."

Andy had come within earshot and waved as Prue scrambled to her feet to meet him. He pecked her lightly on the lips before facing the other three. "Hey, ladies." He greeted.

"Hey, Andy. Hungry?" Phoebe asked with a glance at her watch.

"Only if Piper's cooking." Andy answered.

The sisters smiled as they each stood up as well. "Don't worry, Andy. I'll feed you." Piper assured him and then pulled Phoebe's wrist around so she could read her watch. "I guess I should get started." She led the way into the house with Phoebe then Paige then Andy and finally Prue.

Prue paused at the door and Andy stopped to look back at her. "You okay?"

Prue smiled. "Great." She promised, her eyes on the door. She flicked her hand and the door swung shut.


End file.
